Certified Expert in Financial Inclusion Policy

The objective of this unit is to appreciate the importance of the relationship between financial inclusion and the core mandate of financial regulators to safeguard financial stability and integrity. The unit shares the role of the various global standard setting bodies (SSBs) in enhancing financial inclusion.

The unit also presents the challenges of implementing a proportionate policy and regulatory approach at the country level which achieves an effective balance between the three pillars of inclusion, integrity and stability. Technology has great potential to positively impact financial inclusion. The unit discusses different kinds of RegTech and FinTech and their growth in controlled environments such as the Regulatory Sandboxes.

This unit is very critical as it describes the role of quality data in developing financial inclusion policies and the indicators which help measuring financial inclusion. It discusses in detail both demand and supply side data, qualitative and quantitative data and the use of global and national level data and how they contribute to policy making and lead to result based monitoring and evaluation of financial inclusion. This is a core component of any national strategy on financial inclusion.

The last unit of this course thus focuses on how the digital medium is relevant for the discussions in the previous units. The unit starts with basic terminologies to ensure an agreed understanding. It shares international examples to showcase the potential of DFS. It highlights the DFS ecosystem and its stakeholders and highlights the regulatory aspects that are required to ensure a coordinated approach among the diverse stakeholders of the DFS ecosystem.

Financial inclusion ensures that many first-time end users join the formal financial system and thus it is important that they are educated to be able to make the best use of the services and to be protected. This unit will help to develop a clear understanding of issues and good practices in consumer empowerment and will help to develop skills to be able to design, improve, review regulatory and/or institutional policies related to market conduct and supervision practices.  

Given the significant contribution of MSME to enhancing financial inclusion, this unit provides participants the understanding of the issues in access to finance for MSMEs and the possible regulatory solutions. It discusses the debate on defining MSMEs in a country context, the need for product diversity and the elements of a supportive financial infrastructure to enhance access to finance for MSME. Given the critical role of women in MSME, it highlights country examples which have excelled in women led MSME initiatives. 

A right mix of financial products is key to effective financial inclusion and thus the unit presents the microfinance products: microsavings, microcredit and microinsurance. The unit focusses on the need for effective, affordable, diverse products and services  for the low income to benefit the most from them. The unit also discusses the regulations that guide these alternative products and delivery channels.

This unit presents the need for a financial inclusion strategy to design a comprehensive and coordinated approach which connects the financial inclusion continuum described in the previous units – from the financial regulators to the consumers. It presents a step-by-step guide to develop a strategy, including how to monitor the implementation and progress made.  

Benefit from an Alumni discount and have the course credited when you continue to the Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance. 

 Benefit from an Alumni discount and have the course credited when you continue to the Diploma in Financial Inclusion. 

 Benefit from an Alumni discount and have the course credited when you continue to the Diploma in Green Finance. 

 Benefit from an Alumni discount and have the course credited when you continue to the Diploma in Risk Management.