DePaul University’s College of Commerce is partnering with the China Financial Futures Exchange (CFFEX) in Shanghai to provide an innovative financial markets program to train their executives and mid-level managers about financial markets, including derivatives trading, risk management and regulation.

As part of the 12-week program, about a dozen executives will travel to DePaul’s well-respected business school in downtown Chicago, near the city’s financial district, to study finance from March to May 2012. The program is expected to strengthen ties between the state of Illinois and China and heighten Chinese awareness of Illinois as a place to do business.

“This program is another example of DePaul’s long history of serving international business professionals through educational programs that focus on practical engagement and the needs of the market,” said Ali Fatemi, chair of the finance department in the College of Commerce. “Programs like these are possible because of DePaul’s extensive global connections in the financial world. DePaul plans to explore additional ambitious initiatives, including degree-granting programs.”

The program will prepare graduates to participate in the future growth of China’s domestic and international financial and derivatives markets. Class content will integrate theory and practice, with more than half of the course consisting of presentations by leading professionals in the trading and risk management industry.

Program participants will gain a thorough knowledge of how the U.S. financial markets function, including the opportunity to view markets in real time. Program content will include coursework in capital markets, trading, foreign exchange, risk management and financial engineering, financial market regulation, U.S. macroeconomic factors, exchange operations, and applied finance.

On-site visits to Chicago securities exchanges and financial institutions will complement classroom lecture and discussion. Classes will take place at DePaul’s Loop Campus as well as Chicago Board Options Exchange, the CME Group, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and various Chicago financial institutions.

Ray Whittington, dean of the College of Commerce, said, “Over the years, DePaul’s College of Commerce has become a force in international finance education by providing a wide variety of tailored programs for finance officials as well as degree programs with international academic and corporate partners.

“DePaul prepares graduates and professionals to work, succeed and contribute to the global community. Its foundation of respected academics and real-world knowledge is balanced with the urban and multicultural experiences of Chicago,” Whittington said.

DePaul has a number of existing and proposed programs with China throughout the institution, including study abroad, faculty exchange, Chinese language studies, moot court competitions and conferences held in China. Many recent alumni of the Chinese studies program currently live in China, while 349 students of Chinese descent are studying at DePaul’s College of Commerce.

“Given DePaul’s expertise in educating international professionals in the theory and practice of risk management, and the fact that China is a rising power in the risk management and futures market, it makes sense to make our expertise available to CFFEX,” said J.D. Bindenagel, vice president of the Office of Community, Government and International Affairs at DePaul University.

About DePaul’s College of Commerce

Offering a highly respected, practical, flexible program of business study, DePaul’s College of Commerce enrolls 4,249 undergraduate students, and the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business has 2,115 students. DePaul’s undergraduate business program offers a wide range of majors in accountancy and real estate, including top programs in finance, management, marketing, economics, hospitality leadership, entrepreneurship and sales leadership. Graduates benefit from the College of Commerce’s 50,000-strong alumni network. For more information about the College of Commerce, visit commerce.depaul.edu. For admission questions, call (312) 362-8300 or email admission@depaul.edu.

About DePaul

With more than 25,000 students, DePaul University is the largest Catholic university in the United States and the largest private, nonprofit university in the Midwest. The university offers approximately 275 graduate and undergraduate programs of study on three Chicago and three suburban campuses. Founded in 1898, DePaul remains committed to providing a quality education through personal attention to students from a wide range of backgrounds. For more information, visit depaul.edu.