Testimonials

Andrea Buoninsegni

Chief Operating Officer, Plastedil, Mendrisio

“I liked the Master, and the courses I chose were very interesting. The wide choice of courses allows students to address their interests. The practical approach of some lessons will come in handy in future careers. The relatively small classes foster a direct approach with Professors allowing insight on specific topics and knowledge.

The primary skills acquired during the Master that have been very useful in the workplace were related to Excel's advanced use. This knowledge allowed me to create complex files that were useful to the company and customers. These tools have made it possible to take complex data and representing them simply and intuitively. However, this was only possible thanks to the theoretical background learned in the Master in Finance. The study of models, systems and realities allows students to take pieces of acquired knowledge and apply them to the work environment."

Maria Formicola

Corporate Treasury Resolution and Recovery Liquidity Financial Analytics, J.P. Morgan, New York

“I’ve developed strong analytical and quantitative skills through high mathematical and statistical courses. Nevertheless, companies’ evaluation has been the main topic of three of my better-resulting courses, in Accounting, Corporate Finance and Financial Statement Analysis, and these studies have proved to be fundamental. In fact, analyzing financial statements, finding the right information and being able to say which one was important and which one was not, used to be one of my main duties. On the other hand, knowing the foundations of Financial Mathematics have been very useful when I was asked to prepare some basic models in Statistical Program, such as liquidity analysis or combination models. Studying Derivatives, Financial Instruments and Capital Markets I have also learned the fundamental elements, processes and instruments in credit business and the tools that financial analysts use to make investment decisions.”

Elisabetta Galli

Head Analyst, Financial Technologies SA, Lugano

"This academic path represented a great opportunity to build up my personal ‘toolbox’ of knowledge and skills. During the master’s I improved my analytical approach and accuracy. I also had the possibility to interact and collaborate with classmates coming from abroad. The ‘toolbox’ is still crucial in my daily work."

Antonio Genovese

Vice President, Deutsche Bank, United Arab Emirates

"The Master’s in Finance gave me the opportunity to learn from renowned members of the academic community, and the high professors-to-student ratio made the faculty members very accessible. The master’s programme provides a strong background in the quantitative aspects of finance. I was able to develop programming skills, which helped me put in practice more theoretical aspects of asset valuation or modelling of economic trends. The partnership with the Swiss Finance Institute provides access to an incredible number of resources such as conferences, visiting scholars and senior industry speakers sharing the latest views on the financial services industry trends. USI benefits from relationships with some of the most prestigious academic institutions, of which I chose Virginia Tech for my semester abroad."

Thierry Girardier

Business Manager, UBS, Zurich

"Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation. The combination of opportunity and preparation is key. Opportunity is provided by an environment designed to help you grow. Preparation is hard work and commitment towards your goals. The Master’s in Finance at USI provided me with the opportunity. A high-quality, module-based programme matched with close proximity with internationally recognized professors allowed me to make the most out my years at university. I particularly appreciated the blend of quantitative/theoretical content and concrete case studies in almost every course. In an increasingly demanding and competitive global working environment, the ability to understand and solve complex problems is an invaluable asset. This is one of the many skills I acquired during my time at USI.

USI is still a relatively small university and therefore allows quality ‘air time’ that students can benefit from when interacting with professors. The breadth of the programs is also certainly a plus and allows students to tailor their studies based on their professional aspirations."

Peter Mraz

Financial Controller, Credit Risk & Performance Manager, OMV, London

“USI provided both very good theoretical but also technical knowledge. Classes with hands-on experiences in R statistical software and others are proving to be very valuable.

The theoretical knowledge provided gave a good base to build on in the future. You have to be aware that after you graduate you know 1% of what is really needed and you’ll need to learn and adapt fast. This is the case for all graduates, independent of which university they come from.

Other things I have learned at USI were the motivations of different agents in financial markets and the management of companies. This is very useful for my career.”

Milica Vukovic

Principal Financial Analyst, Hughes Network Systems, Washington, USA

"Being taught by renowned professors actively pursuing research meant that our classes were designed to be relevant to the current economic climate and trends in the financial sector. The small class size allowed for direct interaction with both professors and teaching assistants was possible. I also liked that my Master’s offered many elective courses, sometimes very specialised, which helped me identify potential career paths/ areas of interest."

Paolo Zazzara

Sr. Manager Insurance Audit, Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation, Sydney

“The MSc in Finance program gave me a great exposure across all different aspects of the finance world. I positively remember the support received from the professors and other staff.

Especially at the beginning of my career, knowledge of derivatives, financial statements and corporate finance have been beneficial in securing my first roles. Advanced excel and some basic programming skills were also useful to stand out. Fast forward to today, general knowledge of investments and accounting is quite handy when talking to customers and colleagues from other teams. Besides work, financial literacy is also key to understand the complex dynamics of the world we live in.”