Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Energy Finance

 Recent growth of the global green economy has been rapid. To sustain market growth, carbon and green accounting and management skills require greater professionalism, akin to that of the development of the IT industry during the 1980s.

DCU Business School in association with The Summit Finuas Network and the Green IFSC initiative has developed a new programme in Sustainable Energy Finance.

The recently published Strategy for the International Financial Services Sector 2011-2016, Department of the Taoiseach stated that;

'Ireland will be developed as a centre of excellence in green finance and carbon management, through the creation of an enabling, coordinated and supportive environment. This will be achieved through the Green IFSC initiative built on an enabling tax, legislative regulatory and compliance framework. This will result in the expansion of many of the existing IFSC sectors and the creation of new areas of opportunity including carbon management, IP commercialisation, private equity investment and 'Green Tech' fund management.'

This specialist industry led programme will be the first step towards the development of a hub of international excellence in sustainable finance educational provision.

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Energy Finance is the first accredited postgraduate programme of its kind in Ireland.

The objective of the programme is to provide a broad and comprehensive overview of sustainability finance to support new business streams within investment banks, professional firms working in the broader green economy and companies which are developing renewable products and technologies.

It will be of interest to companies seeking to develop specialist sustainable finance solutions in Banking, Project Finance, Treasury, Asset Management, Fund Services, Insurance/Reinsurance, Carbon Markets Management, Venture Capital and Private Equity.

It will also provide a strong foundation in the sustainability and finance for related professions (law, engineering, project development, accounting) working with sustainability projects and carbon management.

This programme aims to provide finance and related professionals with an understanding of climate change principles and policy responses, risk management and regulations, technologies and emerging markets, finance, carbon accounting and tax. It also addresses broader corporate sustainability policies and processes.

The course will allow participants to:

• Develop a general understanding of sustainability principles and practices.
• Understand the fundamentals of climate change, greenhouse gases and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (IPCC)
• Understand the global market dynamics in green products and services and the business opportunities that they present.
• Access current information developments in environmental policy and trends (Kyoto and post Kyoto)
• Understand renewables markets and technologies (Wind/Solar/Wave/Tidal/Geothermal/Biomass) Gain the fundamentals on GHG targets, carbon management and cap and trade
• Explore techniques and models of asset management, funds servicing, carbon trading, project financing and insurance associated with green financial activity.
• Explore corporate responses to climate change (adaptation, mitigation, commodity & weather hedging, carbon footprinting, CSR branding).
• Develop finance solutions for sustainability projects Interact with other professionals working in the area of sustainability and finance
• Understand the key issues and challenges for sustainability projects and technologies.
• Develop a general understanding of sustainability principles and practices.

Programme Structure:

Please note that the running of the programme is subject to a minimum enrollment number.

The programme will be delivered on a part-time modular basis with attendance at the University on 2 day blocks (Fridays and Saturday's, generally once a month) ensuring minimal disruption to work schedules while also respecting the personal time of participants.

Participant attendance will be on a part-time basis over one academic year commencing annually in late September.

The programme will have four taught modules and a capstone project module.

Assessment will be a mixture of continuous assessment, action learning, presentations and exams.

Progression from the Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Energy Finance

Participants who have completed the Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Energy Finance and later wish to undertake the MSc programme will be required to complete the following two requisite modules in the first year of the MSc before entry into the second year, (i) Management for Sustainability and (ii) Finance and Derivatives. In the second year, participants will complete five modules and a dissertation. They will be exempt from the Legal Issues for Sustainability module.

Semester 1

• Climate change, Sustainability and Policy
• Climate Change and Markets
• Finance for Sustainability

Semester 2

• Accounting and Taxation for Sustainability
• Legal Issues for Sustainability
• Sustainable Energy Finance Project

Dublin City University Business School

During its 29 year existence, DCU Business School (DCUBS) has been a core contributor to business education in Ireland.

The School prides itself on its ability to deliver excellent management education in keeping with the needs of the market and to provide students with the knowledge, competence and ability to apply it. The hallmarks of DCU postgraduates are their capacity for creative thinking, their cross-disciplinary approach to problem solving and their ability to operate effectively. DCUBS has high quality and academically rigorous graduate education.

The Finuas Programme

The Finuas Networks Programme is dedicated to specialised training within the International Financial Services sector. Managed by Skillnets Ltd. on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, Finuas aims to support the sector in maintaining Ireland's position as a top International Financial Services centre through investment in the specialist skills and expertise of its workforce.

Finuas Networks are developing and delivering new training in the areas of banking and capital markets, investment management, insurance and specialist professional services to the sector. Finuas Networks also facilitate networking among members and provide a range of learning opportunities from expert briefings to certified programmes with industry recognised qualifications.

Overview of the SUMMIT FINUAS Network

The SUMMIT FINUAS Network is a national Network of companies operating in the International Financial Services industry in Ireland. Since it was set up in 2009, 162 companies within the sector have become members of the network and over 16,000 training days have been delivered to almost 1,400 participants.

The SUMMIT FINUAS Network promoter is the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC). IBEC has partnered with the leading Irish financial services industry associations to collaborate in the establishment of this joint Network. These include Financial Services Ireland (FSI), the Federation of International Banks in Ireland (FIBI), the Irish Funds Industry Association (IFIA), the Dublin International
Insurance & Management Association (DIMA) and the Irish Association of Investment Managers (IAIM).
Together these associations represent more than 250 firms that are eligible for funding under the terms of the Finuas Network programmes, and employ over 80% of the people working in the International Financial Services sector in Ireland.

Green IFSC

The Green IFSC initiative is an integral part of Ireland's response to the challenges of climate change and
sustainable development, where finance, trade, products and services are developed and exchanged in support of the global transition to a low-carbon economy. The Green IFSC is an initiative of the IFSC Clearing House Group, Department of the Taoiseach.

Career Prospects:

"This innovative programme has been developed by DCU academics and leading industry practitioners for finance professionals who want to further develop their skills to work with sustainable finance vehicles and develop sustainable investment solutions. It will also be invaluable to those who are developing sustaibability projects for investment and funding."