The new EDHEC PhD in Finance cohort ready to embrace challenges of doctoral studies

A new cohort of 12 PhD executive  track participants and 2 residential track participants has embarked on the EDHEC doctoral programme. The programme management, faculty and the PhD team were delighted to welcome all of them for the first steps of their PhD journey.

From 12 September 2022, the class has started its first week of core courses, with Discrete-time Financial Economics taught by EDHEC Professor Abraham Lioui. This field will be followed by a course on Econometrics taught by EDHEC Professor Mirco Rubin.

“We are so glad to welcome our new students on campus. For the upcoming years, we will accompany them during their PhD research work that will contribute to the financial industry.”  said the programme director Dr Emmanuel Jurczenko. 

This class still boasts great cultural diversity. Thirteen nationalities are represented (Bulgaria, Canada, China, Germany, Georgia, India, Italy, Nepal, Pakistan, Serbia, South Africa, United Kingdom, and United States of America); students are based in Europe, North America, two in Africa, one in the Middle East, and one in Hong Kong. 

Newcomers have solid professional and academic credentials. Some have first degrees in economics, finance, business administration (major in Finance), engineering, bioinformatics, accountancy and natural sciences. The participants hold one or two graduate degrees, MSc degrees in finance, economics, financial markets, financial economics, financial engineering, economics, statistics and actuarial sciences, or MBA with major in finance, from reputed institutions such as Cambridge, Chicago Booth, London Business School, New York University… A few of them hold professional certifications that include the CFA or CQF.

In this cohort, there is a well-balanced proportion of senior professionals acting as head of units or CEO, and more junior profiles that include portfolio managers, or investment and risk specialists. Participants mainly work in asset or investment management, corporate and investment banking, financial services or consulting.

The average age of these students is 41 and together they average over 17 years of experience.

Without interrupting their careers, the experienced practitioners of the executive track usually join the programme to take a step towards senior positions in finance or positions in academe, or when they already hold such positions, to help them steer their organisations in new directions. During the programme, they work with leading specialists on research of particular relevance to their job. The PhD in Finance programme at EDHEC requires a strong personal commitment and is designed to be completed over three to four years.

More information on the programme curriculum, doctoral theses, and alumni testimonials is available at Research & Innovation: EDHEC PhD in Finance at a glance