Students

AFIN8099 – Current Issues in Banking and Finance

2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and lecturer
Rachel Huang
rachel.huang@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Room 531, 4 Eastern Road
By appointment via iLearn
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(Admission to MFin and 40cp at 8000 level) or (admission to (MBkgFin or MCom) and 60cp at 8000 level)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The Capstone unit is primarily based on a project that aims to tackle contemporary challenges in the industry. Depending on current financial and economic market conditions, potential areas of interest will be drawn from investment management, the banking system, and corporate financial strategy. Students will integrate theoretical knowledge with research skills, emphasising practical application. The collaborative team environment will engage students in the complexities of interpersonal communication, task allocation, coordination and control, preparing them for real-world challenges. This Capstone unit will be undertaken towards the end of the course of study.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Synthesise financial theory with real-world practice
  • ULO2: Apply critical thinking to complex financial problems
  • ULO3: Demonstrate effective teamwork and communication skills
  • ULO4: Integrate technology and sustainability considerations into financial decision-making.
  • ULO5: Reflect on exemplary standards of ethical and sustainable business practices.

General Assessment Information

Late Submission Penalties

If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days. Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0.

Example 1 (out of 100):

If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100.

Example 2 (out of 30):

If you score 27/30 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30.

Extensions

Automatic short extension: Some assessments are eligible for automatic short extension. You can only apply for an automatic short extension before the due date.

Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration. Need help? Review the Special Consideration page for further details.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Professional practice: Business report 30% No 03/04/2026 Individual Yes Open AI
Professional practice: Presentation 40% No Week 11&12 Individual and Group No Open AI
Skills development: Continuous improvement 30% No 05/06/2026 Individual Yes Open AI

Professional practice: Business report

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 03/04/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open AI

The purpose of this assessment is for you to work with an industry partner to deepen your professional understanding of current issues in the banking and finance industry.

 

You will conduct in-depth analysis and produce a business report in line with industry expectations.

 

Skills in focus:

  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Discipline knowledge
  • Communication skills 
  • Work readiness

Deliverable(s): Business report

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise financial theory with real-world practice
  • Apply critical thinking to complex financial problems

Professional practice: Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 11&12
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual and Group
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open AI

The purpose of this assessment is for you to work with an industry partner and collaborate with peers to deepen your understanding of current issues in the banking and finance industry.
 
You will produce a presentation and participate in a Q&A discussion.
 
Skills in focus:
  • Collaboration skills
  • Communication skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Work readiness
Deliverable(s): Presentations
Individual and Group assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise financial theory with real-world practice
  • Apply critical thinking to complex financial problems
  • Demonstrate effective teamwork and communication skills
  • Integrate technology and sustainability considerations into financial decision-making.

Skills development: Continuous improvement

Assessment Type 1: Reflection task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 05/06/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open AI

The purpose of this assessment is for you to critically reflect on your learning throughout the session and communicate recommendations to relevant parties.

 

You will produce a reflection report.

 

Skills in focus:

  • Communication skills 
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Global, ethical & environmental citizenship
  • Work readiness

Deliverable(s): Reflection Report

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply critical thinking to complex financial problems
  • Integrate technology and sustainability considerations into financial decision-making.
  • Reflect on exemplary standards of ethical and sustainable business practices.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

This unit is delivered through weekly two-hour lectures and one-hour seminars. Lectures may be delivered by the Unit Convenor, invited industry guest speakers, or a combination of both, and the format may vary between semesters. Seminars are facilitated by the Unit Convenor and provide opportunities for students to reflect on and discuss the topics covered in the preceding lecture. Students are expected to attend all lectures and seminars in person unless otherwise specified. Learning materials include lecture notes prepared by the Unit Convenor and industry speakers, as well as selected readings from relevant regulatory bodies and industry institutions.

Unit Schedule

Week#  (Lecture Date) Industry Guest Speaker Topic
3 (12th Mar) Ms. Belinda Cheung (Director, Future Fund) Central bank balance sheet management
4 (19th Mar) Mr. Michael Zhou (Director, CBA) Non-bank financial institutions and the private credit market 
5 (26th Mar) Mr. David Tuckwell (Founder and CIO, ETF Shares) AI and capital markets + career spotlight
6 (2nd Apr) Ms. Belinda Cheung (Director, Future Fund) Cross-country central banks + Capital allocation

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.03 of the Handbook