arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

New “European Microfinance Program”

Microfinance is the provision of financial services (credit, savings, insurance, etc.) to those living in poverty. People without fixed income or property, are simply excluded from the financial system. However access to credit and financial services is critical to the development of “microenterprises” that help people to escape poverty through their own work and to lead a life of dignity. Microfinance has developed over the last 30 years, at the initiative of NGOs worldwide. The UN, recognizing the importance and potential of Microfinance has declared 2005 “International Year of Microcredit” – http://www.yearofmicrocredit.org.

EMP wants to train the microfinance specialists and professionals of the future that can lead the next wave of innovation needed in microfinance to develop tools that support the growing demand for financial services of microentrepreneurs in the developing world. EMP is currently a “specialisation" within existing Masters’ programs. Courses delivered in English are aimed at professionals who want to work in the development sector and contribute to reducing poverty around the world through the spread of microfinance. The course will start in September 2005 and lectures will be held in the evening and weekends. To ensure interaction between lecturers and students, the number of places will be restricted to a maximum of thirty students.

European students, who register at Solvay Business School / Université Libre de Bruxelles, will pay the regular registration fee for advanced studies – around 750 EUR. Unfortunately, due to lengthy procedures for granting equivalence of foreign diplomas only students with a Master degree from a European University will be accepted at the Université Libre de Bruxelles in 2005-2006.

If you are interested in this program or you have specific questions, please contact Marek Hudon (Academic Coordinator) for preliminary information - mhudon@ulb.ac.be

Please visit also the website of the program: http://www.europeanmicrofinanceprogram.org

"...contribute to reducing poverty around the world through the spread of microfinance."
Is this some kind of joke?

from you webpage:
"The aim

The aim of this program is to train microfinance experts and future microfinance managers that will contribute to the development of microfinance institutions worldwide in accordance to the highest international standards."

Could you be more specific about what your aim really is?
Is it eradicating poverty or building profitable microfinance institutions before non-profit organisations take the whole market with not-for-profit-programs?

Experts and managers...
I think we already have too many of those, don't you?

greetings,
p