Advancing Fintech through a transdisciplinary approach

Abstract

The term “Fintech” is a portmanteau of “financial technology.” Fintech is an emerging field that can be advanced through interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to the fourth industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0 (Doherty & Stephens, 2023). It is used to augment, disrupt, or enhance traditional financial services (Thakor, 2023). However, there is no universally agreed-upon definition for Fintech, as it varies depending on the characteristics of Fintech companies and the sectors, they operate in. The advancement of technology, particularly in the Fintech industry, has sparked extensive debates on the opportunities and challenges for businesses, consumers, and the labor force. The introduction of new Fintech technologies is expected to disrupt educational systems at all levels, necessitating the cultivation of fresh talent, which, in turn, requires an immediate and proactive response from higher education institutions and the business community. This collaboration between higher education and industry partners requires re-evaluation in order to equip the workforce with the skills needed through skilling, reskilling, and upskilling. The term “Fintech” is a portmanteau of “financial technology.” Fintech is an emerging field that can be advanced through interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to the fourth industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0 (Doherty & Stephens, 2023). It is used to augment, disrupt, or enhance traditional financial services (Thakor, 2023). However, there is no universally agreed-upon definition for Fintech, as it varies depending on the characteristics of Fintech companies and the sectors, they operate in. The advancement of technology, particularly in the Fintech industry, has sparked extensive debates on the opportunities and challenges for businesses, consumers, and the labor force. The introduction of new Fintech technologies is expected to disrupt educational systems at all levels, necessitating the cultivation of fresh talent, which, in turn, requires an immediate and proactive response from higher education institutions and the business community. This collaboration between higher education and industry partners requires re-evaluation in order to equip the workforce with the skills needed through skilling, reskilling, and upskilling. The introduction of new Fintech technologies is expected to disrupt educational systems at all levels, necessitating the cultivation of fresh talent, which, in turn, requires an immediate and proactive response from higher education institutions and the business community.Transdisciplinary cooperation in Fintech education fosters professionals who possess a comprehensive understanding of various fields and can address real-world challenges.WBS’ distinctive competence in its cross-disciplinary experiential learning, Major Qualifying Projects (MQP) (administered by our Fintech MQP, FinTech Project Center), positions our students and faculty for the interdisciplinary requirements of new Fintech programs.The key factors that stimulate interdisciplinary research include fostering a culture of collaboration and encouraging the exchange of ideas among researchers from different disciplines.For example, we have management, finance, and computer science scholars and students attempting to address the question of how blockchain can be used to manage sensor data that may have social good implications, while developing a business model for this technology and the company partner. The term “Fintech” is a portmanteau of “financial technology.” Fintech is an emerging field that can be advanced through interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to the fourth industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0 (Doherty & Stephens, 2023).1Doherty O. Stephens S. Hard and soft skill needs: higher education and the Fintech sector.J. Educ. Work. 2023; 36: 186-201https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2023.2174954Crossref Scopus (0) Google Scholar It is used to augment, disrupt, or