Centre for Analytical Finance (CAF) at ISB

The Centre for Analytical Finance (CAF) was established in 2004 with the objective of producing high-quality research, organizing events and training future researchers in the area of Finance. The centre acts as a forum for academicians, regulators, and industry professionals to discuss latest issues and research in the field of Finance.

CAF undertakes research projects that aid and inform financial markets, financial institutions, and financial regulators, focus on issues in finance, including access to financial markets for small and micro entrepreneurs. It also aims to disseminate research-based knowledge through conferences, workshops and lectures among academicians, practitioners, regulators and policy-makers. CAF’s association with various academicians and global scholars makes it a premier research centre in India as well as the South-East Asian region.

Research, Events & Workshops

The CAF has seen various papers published, by academicians at ISB as well as abroad, on various topics in the area of banking, capital markets and finance.

It also organizes various events such as the CAF Summer Research Conference which is an annual event held at ISB. The conference has evolved into a major international research event and gets submissions from finance research across the globe. The papers presented at the conference also get published in renowned international journals.

The CAF workshops provide a platform for interaction between faculty, researchers, students and professionals. Members of International research communities are also invited to the workshops to bring in a global perspective. The CAF also organized various seminars and speaker session on topics such as alternative investments, endowments, arbitrage etc.

The centre also organizes workshops and training sessions for PGP students. Some of the sessions include training on Bloomberg, interaction with officials from international bodies such as the CFA Institute, CAIA Association etc. For students aiming for a switch into a career in Finance post-MBA, these sessions provide invaluable insight into the world of finance, supplementing their learnings from the PGP.

Online Courses

To help professionals, researchers and students understand finance, CAF has launched courses on Coursera. Topics covered include financial markets and investment strategy.  CAF also plans to offer a course on trading strategies in emerging markets.

The Research Assistant Program

The CAF also has a “RA Program” under which it recruits 2-3 Research Assistants each year. The RAs are then trained in finance and economics and get involved in research projects. Finally, the RAs are admitted to top PhD programs across the globe, including those at London Business School, MIT and Chicago Booth.

Overall, the CAF has become a centre which is now synonymous with Financial Research at ISB. The centre has a big role to play in developing ISB into a school known for Finance, among other major areas.

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