Certified Expert in SME Finance

• Eight units including video lectures, a PDF script laying the theoretical foundation, examples, practical exercises, online tests and case studies.
• A discussion forum for course related issues as well as for exchange of opinions and experiences with peers, tutors and the FSDF e-Campus team.
• Personalized support from your e-Campus.
• The possibility to attain a Frankfurt School Certificate after passing the final exam or a confirmation of course completion after completing the course. After passing the final exam, you will earn 6 ECTS (academic credit points of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System). The points can be credited to other academic learning programs. 

Regular Tuition Fee:  EUR 1,550

Early Bird Fee: EUR 1,350 (by January 15)

Discounts:

• 10% group discount (for 2 or more participants working for the same instutiton, informed to us before by an email)
• 10% for FS Alumni
• For company packages, please contact us

Payment Options

• Bank Transfer (bank fees to be covered by the participants)
• Credit Card
• PayPal

Payment in instalments is not possible.

*Subject to change

• MFI, loan officers, credit officers, management-members of credit committee
• MFI & Bank, (M)SME Market Development dept.
• Corporate clients SMEs and Midcaps
• Bank – (retail/micro and small enterprises): 

Front office: Loan Officer

Back office: Credit Analyst, Credit officer, credit manager, risk analyst, underwriter, collections officer

The course takes approx. 6 months assuming 5-7 hours of self-study per week. It consists of 8 units which build upon each other. You will take the units in sequence and will need to pass an online multiple choice test before accessing the next unit. The course includes 3 assignments which you will need to submit at a fixed deadline.

You are not sure if you manage to complete the course within 6 months? No worries! You can apply for a course extension (6 more months) against an administrative fee.

Video Lectures

• Introvideos: After viewing the lectures, participants will have a basic understanding of each topic and will be able to classify importance and relevance of different techniques and aspects in a broader context.
• Web-based Presentations: Web based presentation complement the scripts and give additional input on important topics.

Online Tests

Each unit ends with an online test comprising a set of 10 - 15 multiple choice questions. Only after having successfully completed an online test you will gain access to the next unit.

Reading Material

A PDF script is for most of our courses the main studying material. This reading material provides basic concepts and principles applicable to the subject of each unit.

Assignments

The key to successful learning is the immediate use of newly acquired knowledge and the transfer of theory into practice. Our online courses are therefore supplemented by mandatory assignments.

Discussion Forum

A course discussion forum enables the interaction between participants and trainers and facilitates the exchange of experiences as well as possibilities to ask questions or get clarifications.

This course gives you the flexibility to decide on the timing and pace of your learning experience. However we will provide you with recommendations for you to take as much as possible from this course.

Your schedule: We will provide you a course schedule including voluntary and mandatory deadlines. The course schedule serves as a guideline for your personal learning schedule and will help you complete the programme within the given time frame.

Exercises: Even though the exercises in the script are not mandatory we strongly advise that you use them as an opportunity to check your knowledge and to prepare for the final exam.

Networking Opportunities: Use the forum to introduce yourself to your peer participants and to start interesting discussions.

Passing a final examination is a requirement for obtaining your certificate.

• Location: The final exam takes place online
• Duration: The final exam takes 2 hours.
• Costs:  An additional final exam fee will be charged for the second and third final exam attempt
• Certificate: Your digital certificate will be available upon passing the final examination.

If you do not wish to take the final exam, you will receive a confirmation of course participation after completing the course.

Mike is an SME specialist with over 40 years experience. He has been delivering SME training courses for over 35 years. He worked for Barclays Bank PLC from 1971 to 2004, in a number of Area Director roles. He won national awards for sales and service. He became a consultant in 2004. He is a Senior bank advisor specialising in SME finance and sales. 

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of bankers in England. He was an examiner for the Institutes lending qualification. He has a Bachelors degree in business management. He has two separate coaching diplomas. 

He has handled diverse loans credit portfolios, and managed teams of lending officers. He has carried out formal training and direct coaching for senior banking executives, bank managers, loan officers and bank staff. His technical skills are complemented by proven excellent management skills, with the ability to rapidly assess needs, mentor teams, and achieve results. He acted as a senior auditor for several years specialising in the assessment of SME credit risk portfolios. 

As an experienced credit manager and trainer, he has written and developed specialised in training of SME risk analysis and business development on assignments with partner banks since 1992. He has acted as consultant in several SME downscaling projects. He has been engages on many SME assignments in Russia, Kuwait, Syria, Egypt Croatia, Malaysia, Iceland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Mongolia, Albania, China, Ethiopia, Bulgaria, Germany, Armenia and Turkey. Mike is very approachable and he is committed to ensuring that all students achieve their full potential in the Certified Expert in SME finance course.  

Kairat is a Frankfurt School’s international advisor in SME banking and microfinance since 2010 and one of the leading consultants and trainers at Frankfurt School Competence Center in SME Finance. He is regularly engaged in the implementation of assignments in Eastern Europe and Asia.  

Kairat studied Economics in Turkey and holds a Master of Science degree in Finance from Exeter University, UK.  

He is experienced in strategic planning, designing operational procedures, product development, development of lending methodologies and processes, credit risk management, and training. 

Mr Fitz is a finance specialist with over 25 years of experience in banking, insurance and industry. 

A Frankfurt School-IAS consultant since 2004, he has been team leader and project director of programmes to encourage SME financing, including banking strategy for entering new business sectors and new product development. In this role he spent several years in East Africa, Southern Africa and Turkey. 

Mr Fitz holds a Master's degree in Economics and is a certified trainer and trainer of trainers at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. He is co-author of a study on the impact of loans to SMEs on job creation. 

François Rancourt is a SME finance practitioner who combines more than 18 years of work in senior management positions and MSME Finance operations. From 2015 to 2019, he’s led the creation a greenfield microfinance institution in North Africa, supported by Desjardins International Development (DID) and AfricInvest. Prior to this, he worked extensively as a senior SME loan officer in Canada.

François has been a consultant for the Frankfurt School IAS since 2023, addressing strategic and hands-on technical challenges related to SME lending, investment operations, product design, portfolio management and digitization. He’s also experienced in risk management and sales. Lately, he’s been involved increasingly in the implementation of SMEs-dedicated credit lines, risk-sharing facilities granted by DFIs to Financial Institutions (FIs). He has worked on assignments with numerous DFIs, including IFC, KfW, and EIB, focusing on projects in North Africa, West Africa, and Latin America.

He has contributed to the newly updated units aimed at enhancing SME relationship management skills and leveraging digital tools.

He holds a B.A in International Development Studies from Dalhousie University and a Master’s degree in Administration from the Université of Sherbrooke, Canada, where he also lectured master’s level classes related to international development.

The Certified Expert in SME Finance is an Elective Module of the  Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance. Join our Master programme after completing the CESF course and waive one elective module. Also, the amount you paid for the course will be deducted from the final tuition fee of the Master programme.

Our Summer Academy is designed to provide tangible take-home value: what you learn with us in Frankfurt, you can apply straight away in your own organisation. More than 1,000 participants over 20 years can’t be wrong – our trainings are cutting edge, delivered by leading experts in their field.  Yet, most important for the great success of our Summer Academies is the profile of the participants. You bring the regional expertise, diversity of backgrounds and the unique practitioner’s perspective. Learning from each other is an integral part of our training philosophy. This is your opportunity to stretch your network all around the globe.

The Certified Expert in SME Finance is part of the curriculum of our Diploma in Financial Inclusion. Enroll to our Diploma  after completing the CESF course and waive one module. Also, the amount you paid for the course will be deducted from the final tuition fee of the Diploma.