UK FinTech Academic Network is launched to drive research and innovation
Innovate Finance, the industry body representing UK fintech, and a community of fintech academics from top UK universities have unveiled UK FinTech Academic Network (UKFAN).
UKFAN will tackle challenges in the UK financial industry with research roadmaps on key themes such as AI, open banking, payments, blockchain, regulation and green finance.
Professor Markos Zachariadis from Alliance Manchester Business School will be the founder of UKFAN. He said the network will deliver vital new research for the development of the UK’s thriving fintech sector and serve to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
“The UK is the second largest fintech destination globally and the industry is a critical economic driver of the economy,” Zachariadis said. “Now is the time to combine the efforts of our world-leading UK academic institutions and power the growth of the UK fintech sector by developing the next generation of transformative technologies – and we believe that UKFAN can help facilitate that.”
UKFAN focus
To achieve its vision, UKFAN will bring together researchers across all relevant academic disciplines, such as finance, economics, information systems, strategy, mathematics, entrepreneurship, informatics and the humanities to contribute to the current dialogue around fintech in industry and the public sector. . UKFAN’s annual conference is intended to be the UK’s flagship academic event on fintech research.
UKFAN aims to be a ‘network of networks’, developing productive and mutually supportive relationships with connected networks and organisations.
Janine HirtCEO of Innovate Finance, says there is a recognition that academia can play a key role in accelerating the development and growth of innovation across financial services.
Hirt comments: That is why we are proud to be working with Alliance Manchester Business School to launch the UK FinTech Academic Network, ensuring that it is a coordinated effort connecting our world-leading, outstanding UK university sector with our world-leading, outstanding UK fintech- the sector. We believe this initiative will help move the agenda forward for financial innovation and will further help cement the UK as the world’s best destination for fintech.”
Academics and scholars representing major universities with fintech research capabilities have signed up to the network. These include University of Manchester, University of Cambridge, University College London, University of Edinburgh, Alan Turing Institute, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University of Warwick, Loughborough University, London School of Economics, Queen Mary University of London, Gresham College and City, University of London.
Innovate Finance will act as the secretariat and will assist with the coordination of UKFAN’s annual event during UK Fintech Week.
