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	Newsletter International Advisory Services

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We are happy to share our next newsletter, filled with exciting milestones and new projects we are implementing all over the world. In particular, we are pleased to announce the kick-off of the first policy advice project for us in Turkey, implemented for the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. We have also achieved huge strides in a number of our projects in Africa - Frankfurt School has signed a Memoranda of Understanding to launch a “Banking and Finance Academy” in Mozambique and Botswana. In addition, we started a new project called "Financial Literacy and Public Awareness Campaign” in Ghana and have entered into a new partnership with one of the biggest private commercial banks in Ethiopia to deliver a “Strategy and Leadership Program” for its board members and executives. Frankfurt School was also one of the co-sponsors of the 1st China County and Township Financial Summit Forum, as a result of which we entered into a strategic partnership with the China County and Town Level Financial Institution Development Committee to provide 15 village and township banks in China with comprehensive training on MSE Lending. Last but not least, we have made great advances in the topics of Climate Adaptation and Blockchain, with two pioneering training courses offered by Frankfurt School for professionals in these areas.

Enjoy the reading and stay tuned for further project news!

Eugen Doce


	Policy Advice for the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock in Turkey

Frankfurt School has started the implementation of its first policy advice project with the EBRD in Turkey, for the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. The main objective of the project is to develop policy advice for discussions on how the policy mix in selected agricultural sub-sectors could be improved to make it less distorted and more competitive at the same time.

The official kick-off meeting was organized on July 26, 2017 in Ankara with the participation of top officials from the Ministry, EBRD and Frankfurt School. During this 10-months long project, we will conduct a policy impact study to analyze the effectiveness of existing agricultural support measures for two agribusiness sub-sectors, together with comprehensive value chain analysis for two specific crops. Our policy dialogue efforts with the Turkish government would enable specific support policies to be adapted to the best international practices and help promote a more open and competitive agricultural economy.

For more information contact:

Omer F. Demirhan (o.demirhan@int.fs.de) or Serkan Veziroglu (s.veziroglu@int.fs.de)


	New “Banking and Finance Academy” in Mozambique and Botswana

As part of our advisory mandate by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Southern Africa, training courses have been conducted in cooperation with local universities for employees from banking institutions not receiving EIB credit lines. Following these successful training courses, representatives of commercial and development banks, the institute of bankers and other stakeholders have been invited to participated in a “Round table on further Education for the Banking & Finance Sector” in Maputo and in Botswana in August 2017.

During the roundtable, the representatives agreed to establish a relevant high quality certification training for bankers by signing a Memoranda of Understanding between Frankfurt School, the University À Politécnica in Mozambique, the University of Botswana and the Botswana Institute of Bankers. Thus the “Banking and Finance Academy” brand has been launched. In October 2017, the expert team will meet representatives of commercial banks and a development bank in Malawi and Zambia to exchange in more detail on the specific training needs they have and how professional education can be improved in their country.

For more information contact:

Irene Loder (i.loder@fs.de)


	Financial Literacy and Public Awareness Campaign in Ghana

On September 12, 2017 Frankfurt School launched a new project called "Financial Literacy and Public Awareness Campaign in Ghana" funded by the International Finance Corporation / World Bank Group. The campaign’s main objective to is strengthen the efforts towards the development of a comprehensive financial inclusion. It will raise awareness of all new tools available to help different target groups access credit through the collateral registry and the credit reporting system. In addition, the project aims to promote responsible lending and borrowing. Frankfurt School together with a communication firm in Ghana will design and implement the national Awareness Campaign during the first year after which the Working Group (representatives of the financial sector) will take over.

For more information contact:
Willemien Libois (w.libois@fs.de) or Norah Becerra (n.becerra@fs.de)


	10 Years Since the First China Village and Township Bank Development Forum

The 10th anniversary of the China Village and Township Bank Development Forum was marked during the 1st China County and Township Financial Summit Forum in Changxing county of Zhejiang province on September 14-16, 2017. Around 600 representatives from 240 financial institutions together with high ranking officials from the People’s Bank of China, the China Banking Regulatory Commission, the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture, the China Academy of Social Sciences, Provincial Government of Zhejiang, the local government of Changxing, and many other institutions from 28 provinces, autonomous regions, and cities affiliated with the Chinese Central Government participated in the 3-day event. The representatives discussed challenges and opportunities for the Chinese rural banking system, as well as future development trends.

Only two foreign institutions, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, were honorably invited as co-sponsors of the event. On September 16th, the Head of the International Advisory Services (IAS) at Frankfurt School, Ms. Fatma Dirkes, accompanied by the IAS China-Team gave a speech outlining how the current Frankfurt School projects are in line with the United Nations Millennium goals and Sustainable Development Goals, which received a warm welcome from the audience and set a strong foothold for Frankfurt School to promote and deepen its cooperation with numerous rural financial institutions in China in the fields of education, training, consulting and research. Ms. Dirkes also signed a strategic technical assistance contract with the organizer of the event, China County and Town Level Financial Institution Development Committee under the China Society for Promoting County and Town Economy.

Almost 45% of the population in China lives in less developed rural regions and for them agricultural modernization and development are decisive for economic prosperity and social stability. This in turn relies to a large extent on a well-functioning rural financial system. However, most rural financial institutions in China are relatively small and weak in organizational, financial and technological capacity. Therefore, the cooperation between Frankfurt School and China County and Town Level Financial Institution Development Committee symbolizes a significant milestone for the organizations. Within the framework of the 2-year long cooperation, IAS will provide 15 village and township banks in China with comprehensive training on MSE Lending technologies. With the expectation of long-term cooperation, both parties are jointly determined to strengthen the capacity of the rural financial system in China by gradually disseminating best practice and sound financial technologies. This will boost financial inclusion and benefit every rural citizen in the long run. It is envisaged that this sustainable long-term relationship will lead to a joint initiative in building a co-branded FS-VTB training academy responsible for building the capacity of 1 million bankers serving the rural finance sector in China.

Background

Since the establishment of the 1st Village and Township Bank in March 2007 in Yilong, Sichuan, the China Village and Township Banks (VTB) have witnessed a decade of changes and development. According to the statistics of the CBRC, the assets size of VTBs have totaled 1240 Billion RMB. The Outstanding loan portfolio has reached 702 Billion RMB amongst which 652 Billion RMB belongs to MSME and agricultural loans.

The China Society for Promoting County and Town Economy was founded in 1992, organized by the China Academy of Social Sciences. The Institute of Rural Development of the China Academy of Social Sciences is responsible for the operational management of China Society for Promoting County and Town Economy, which is approved and registered as a national social association by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of People's Republic of China. By building up a platform for economic exchanges among counties and towns to explore and make full use of resource advantages of each region, it is aimed at promoting regional horizontal economic and technological exchange and cooperation to boost the economic and financial development and prosperity of counties and towns. China County and Town Level Financial Institution Development Committee was established in 2015 and is committed to provide communication channels among village and township banks in China, to explore sustainable operational models of rural banks, to researching and boost business innovation of rural banks, to carry out personnel training and culture building for rural banks, to provide services to foster business cooperation and informational communication between rural banks, and to enhance capacity of rural banks to serve "three rural dimensions".

For more information contact:
Fatma Dirkes (f.dirkes@fs.de) or Liang Zeng (l.zeng@fs.de)


	AFFP Fellows at Frankfurt School to Pave the Way for Climate Resilient Development

Recent climate-change research has generated new evidence for the magnitude of the additional investment and financial flows needed for climate adaptation. As one component of the Adaptation Finance Fellowship Programme (AFFP), jointly set up by Frankfurt School’s International Office and FS-UNEP Centre, Frankfurt School hosted a week-long training for 18 selected participants in mid-August. One key objective of the training was for the participants to build capacities to apply climate and project finance mechanisms and instruments, as well as to assess, manage and insure climate related risks. In addition, they reviewed how climate adaptation measures are implemented and financed in urban areas. By visiting an organic wine producer in the Rheingau region the group gained important practical insight in climate-smart cultivation methods, as well as adaptation measures and their financing.

Applications for the second intake (09/2018 – 02/2020) can be submitted from November 2017 onwards, via www.adaptation-fellowships.org.

For more information contact:

Jonas Fleer (j.fleer@fs.de)


	New Partnership with Dashen Bank

Dashen Bank, the second largest private commercial bank in Ethiopia, with several excellence awards since its foundation in 1995 contracted Frankfurt School of Finance and Management to develop and deliver a Strategy and Leadership Programme for its Board Members and Executives. The tailor-made programme based on international best practices addressed subject areas that will help the participants to successfully fulfil their responsibilities as decision-makers in view of Dashen Bank’s undergoing corporate strategy redesign.

The one-week seminar took place this past August 2017 in Frankfurt and was also attended by the bank’s President. It focused on topics such as Strategy, Leadership, Succession Management and Interest-free Banking and was complemented by site-visits to a German commercial bank and the European Central Bank. A second seminar for Dashen Bank’s Top-level Management is scheduled to take place by the end of the same year also in Frankfurt.

For more information contact:
Ardak Mustafina (m.mustafina@fs.de) or Hannah Wuttke (h.wuttke@fs.de)


	The First Blockchain Developer Programme – Ethereum at Frankfurt School

From September, 18 to 22 2017, Frankfurt School with its department of Executive Education directed by Mr. Andreas Emser implemented for the first time an intensive training entirely dedicated to Blockchain. The training, realized through a great synergy between the Executive education team and the Blockchain Centre, was led by Prof. Dr. Sandner and achieved resounding success. It was dedicated to Blockchain Ethereum and involved 16 participants from diverse countries and different prestigious companies i.e. Accenture, Kaufland, Lufthansa etc. The diversity in nationality and experience is standard for all Frankfurt School trainings and ensures the audience will get the best peer-to-peer exchange, which strengthens the learning outcome.

The trainers put into practice an interactive learning model, by combining theory with a strong pragmatic approach. They moved from a general introduction of the Ethereum basics (Setting up and running a node; Using Ethereum clients; Ethereum as a currency; Mist browser; Parity), in order to align the knowledge of the participants, to the analysis of smart contracts and Web3 & Truffle, functional tests and building an interface to interact with a smart contract. One of the key objectives of Frankfurt School as an academic institution is to keep up with evolving business needs and work in synergy with them. Hence, in 2018 we will not only repeat this successful training, but will improve the structure and content further, so as to answer the emerging new needs of the participants.

Here are some participant reviews from the training:

“All in all, it was a perfect training. Thank you for all the efforts. I have great knowledge to take back from this training.”

“Mr. Kopp’s skills are impressive and he is a humble and great teacher. He truly made a great training experience for me. Great training!“

For more information contact:
Roberta Grassi (r.grassi@fs.de) or Andreas Emser (a.emser@fs.de)

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