Henley Business School announces new MSc to equip graduates with interdisciplinary expertise in climate risk, sustainability and finance

Henley Business School’s ICMA Centre is launching Climate Change, Sustainable Business and Green Finance, a new Masters course combining the knowledge of its finance experts with climate scientists from the University of Reading’s leading meteorology department. In response to high demand from the finance industry, the new MSc will equip students with the skills to prepare for climate change within a business setting, making them invaluable to companies who are planning for the future.

The finance sector has an important role to play in accelerating the transition to net zero. Financial organisations both within the public and private sector are increasingly seeking employees with the knowledge to help with the transition to a more sustainable future. Graduates with interdisciplinary knowledge are becoming increasingly desirable as organisations work to build more resilient and sustainable societies and economies.

Professor Simone Varotto, Professor of Finance at the ICMA Centre, Henley Business School, who has led the creation of the Masters programme, said: “There is an incredibly high demand within the industry for financial experts with a practical knowledge of climate change, who understand the risks and can create projections 20-30 years into the future for their organisations. Our students must be able to speak two languages: the language of climate science and the language of finance. This is why we’ve developed this MSc for Henley students - among the first of its kind in the UK.”

Every module of the programme will be developed and supported by academics from the University’s meteorology department, ranked 4^th in the world for Atmospheric Science (Shanghai Ranking 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects).

Professor of Climate Science at the University of Reading, Professor Len Shaffrey said: “Climate change is already having a dramatic impact on financial institutions through increased risks from floods, storms and drought. At the same time, businesses and economies need to address the challenges of transitioning to Net Zero.

“The new MSc will help the next generation of business leaders understand the impacts of climate change on business and how green finance can help build a more resilient and sustainable planet."

The Masters in Climate Change, Sustainable Business and Green Finance programme

The aim of the new MSc is to develop graduates with specific competencies in climate change management, sustainability in business practices and green financing. Students will be introduced to the science of climate change and learn quantitative techniques and new business models to manage climate risk. They will explore in detail sustainable investments, energy, carbon and commodity markets and can enhance their employability skills by undertaking a summer work placement.

Students will:

- Study how climate change is transforming the finance industry and businesses

- Understand how green finance can contribute to a better and sustainable future

- Learn how to measure and manage physical and transition risks with real climate data

- Explore how companies and investors are mitigating and adapting to changing climatic conditions

- Benefit from the combined expertise of staff at the triple accredited Henley Business School and the top ranked Meteorology Department at the University of Reading, part of the largest cluster of weather and climate scientists in the world

- Enhance their employability skills with the opportunity to undertake a summer work placement as part of their study

To find out more about the new MSc Climate Change, Sustainable Business and Green Finance click here.