The Korean Story discusses the socio-political and historical context that has shaped the economic growth of South Korea. It probes into how South Korea, post the Second World War, was able to transform its economy within three decades to emerge as a leading innovation and technology center in the 21st century. It highlights South Korea’s current status in terms of human development indicators and the SDGs and offers insights on how other countries can achieve similar growth stories with structured reform and policy measures. The course features modules from leading Korean experts in economics, politics, education, health, gender empowerment, rural development, and transportation. The eminent thought-leader in economics and sustainable development, Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs , presents the introductory module about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on the Korean experience of setting goals and targets to achieve them. The Korean Story: Secrets of an Economic Miracle was developed and produced by the KDI School of Public Policy and Management , in partnership with the SDG Academy.

China’s economy is a unique amalgam of top-down planning and capitalism red in tooth and claw. A state-controlled system that is different to any market economy. This course will help you understand the complexities of China’s distinct development model and the impact it has on global markets. For financial professionals, policymakers and business professionals around the world, a sound grasp of the changes reshaping the Chinese economy and its markets is key to understanding both the investment opportunities and the risks that the country presents. Unbiased analysis, real-life examples and practical guidance will equip you with the analytical frameworks and tools to apply to your investment decisions, risk assessments or policymaking. You will learn directly from Enodo Economics’ team of experts, who together have over 250 years of experience focused on China’s economy, its politics and markets and its culture. We make use of specially shot online teaching videos that are produced to a high professional standard. The material, carefully tailored to the content of each course, includes interviews with relevant figures whose personal stories bring to life the concepts being taught. Imaginative visual aids and animation are designed to enhance the learning experience – and make it fun.

The successful operation of modern economics depends on the participation of economically literate citizens. An economically literate citizen should be able to identify problems, gather relevant information, weigh costs and benefits, analyze incentives, and make choices. Students successfully completing this course will be able to comprehend and use basic economic concepts, interpret major macroeconomic statistics, explain how both monetary and fiscal policy can be used to stabilize the economy, and discuss macroeconomic issues.

Demand is a simple yet challenging concept that is essential to understanding how markets function. In this economics course, you will gain a solid understanding of demand, its underlying principles, major determinants and how they are beneficial for individuals, decision makers inside the firm, and policy makers. During your time in this course, you will discover how managers can better understand the impact of pricing changes on units sold, revenue and the relationship between products in order to inform strategic planning. You will learn how many programs and policies are designed to change how individuals and businesses interact in the market and you will gain the tools to identify them. Models of consumer choice and demand will guide you in thinking about how individual incentives change and what the likely impact will be of those changes. All people respond to changing market conditions, but the type and magnitude of those responses can be better understood through the economic model of consumer demand. You will learn how business strategy can benefit from a strong appreciation of elasticity, determinants of demand and how consumers make decisions.

This course is an introduction to basic concepts governing the operation of the microeconomy, with specific emphasis placed on understanding microeconomic theory, policy, and issues as they relate to business decision-making. Students successfully completing this course will be able to comprehend the workings of the supply and demand model from both a graphical and mathematical perspective, explain the role that elasticity plays in the supply and demand model and know how to calculate and interpret various elasticities, understand utility maximization and the theory of consumer behavior, explain how cost structures differ in the short run and the long run, analyze various market structures in terms of their economic performance, and understand the workings of the various factor markets.

Workers of the future will need new sets of skills to compete. Recent advances in technology are changing how we live, communicate and do business, disrupting traditional industries and redefining the employee-employer relationship. Thousands of routine and low-skill jobs will be eliminated by automation, A.I. and digital hyper-connectivity. However, these same advances present new opportunities, like: New job creation Increased productivity Improved delivery of public services This course emphasizes the urgency of developing human capital in meeting the challenges of the coming decades. Developing countries will need to take rapid action to invest in their people as innovation continues to accelerate. Themes in the course include: artificial intelligence, the gig economy, world of work, the future of work, labor market, policy makers, new technologies, digital economy, jobs of the future, machine learning, and labor force. Skills-based example: Participants will learn through Ted-like talks, podcasts, readings, interactive quizzes and scenario based exercises. They will also have an opportunity to share and dialogue with peers and experts including practitioners, government officials, academic and private sector. This course will introduce students to forward-thinking approaches that will build the new skill sets required in the 21st Century, including: critical analysis problem solving “soft skills” like teamwork and empathy

Over the past decade emerging technologies, paired with massive changes in regulations, have driven an unprecedented transformation of finance around the world. This process is happening more rapidly in China and Asia than anywhere else. This course is designed to explore FinTech fundamentals and help make sense of this wave of change as it happens. New players such as start-ups and technology firms are challenging traditional players in finance, bringing democratization, inclusion and disruption. Companies engaged in social media, e-commerce, and telecommunications, as well as, companies and start-ups with large customer data pools, creative energies, and technical capacities, have brought competition to the existing financial infrastructure and are remaking the industry. These transformations have not only created challenges but also unprecedented opportunities, building synergies with new business and regulatory models, particularly in emerging markets and developing countries. To meet these changes, 21st-century professionals and students must be equipped with up-to-date knowledge of the industry and its incredible evolution. This course - designed by HKU with the support of SuperCharger and the Centre for Finance, Technology and Education - is designed to enable learners with the necessary tools to understand the complex interaction of finance, technology and regulation. In this course, through a series of video lectures, case studies, and assessments you will explore the major areas of FinTech including, beginning with What is FinTech before turning to Money, Payment and Emerging Technologies, Digital Finance and Alternative Finance, FinTech Regulation and RegTech, Data and Security, and the Future of Data Driven Finance, as well as, the core technologies driving FinTech including Blockchain, AI and Big Data. These will set the stage for understanding the FinTech landscape and ecosystem and grappling with the potential direction of future change.

Our present system of global capitalism is flawed. While it has produced immense wealth and economic growth in nearly all regions of the world, it has also prioritized profits over people and harmful consumption practices over the needs of our planet. Sustainable development must bring about a new world order to replace the vices of global capitalism, ensuring development, human wellbeing, and environmental security. This course presents Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals as the necessary successor to laissez faire-style capitalism, and emphasizes the urgency of embracing sustainable development objectives to transform our economy into a more reactive, efficient, inclusive, and environmentally-conscious system. This 8-week massive open online course (MOOC) provides an in-depth look at the shortcomings of our current and past global economies, and shows why and how sustainable development has become the universally-prioritized agenda for the future of our world. The topics covered range from market economics to education, gender equality, international trade, financing, and more. This course is for: Policy professionals who want to understand frameworks for SDG planning Development practitioners seeking information on goals-based development Advanced undergraduates and graduate students interested in economics, development, and other key concepts related to the SDGs

National economies have grown substantially since the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century yet people have not necessarily seen an increase in opportunities to find decent work or earn a decent income. In fact, in some places, the increased productivity and rising profits associated with automation have directly impacted the availability of decent jobs. According to the International Labour Organization, more than 204 million people were unemployed in 2015, and more than 600 million new jobs are needed by 2030 just to keep pace with the growth of the working-age population. We also need to improve working conditions for the 780 million women and men who are employed but not earning enough to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. In addressing these core issues we will not only see increasing decent work opportunities but also more robust, inclusive and poverty-reducing growth. This course explores the past and future of work in the context of the SDGs, particularly SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. It examines the state of income and employment around the world, barriers to employment, policies to promote economic opportunity, and the future of work in our rapidly changing world. Encouraging entrepreneurship and job creation are key to achieving the SDGs, as are effective measures to eradicate forced labour, slavery and human trafficking. With these targets in mind, the world can achieve full and productive employment and decent work, for all women and men, by 2030. This seven-module massive open online course (MOOC) provides an in-depth look at the issues of inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. The topics covered include structural shifts in economies and work; informality, gender and child labor, the modern welfare state; the future of work, and more. The course concludes with a special module by the ILO on realizing decent work for all and achieving SDG 8. This course is for: Policy professionals who want to understand frameworks for SDG planning Development practitioners seeking knowledge on goals-based development Advanced undergraduates and graduate students interested in economics, development, and other key concepts related to the SDGs

FinTech has started a global revolution in the financial services industry, and the transformation will only increase in coming years. There are many ways in which FinTech can improve the lives of people around the world; however, those same technologies can also be used to enslave, coerce, track, and control people. Accordingly, it is appropriate and necessary to consider the implications of the introduction of these technologies so that they are utilized properly, regulated sufficiently, and their adoption does not come at the expense of societal growth. This 6-week online coursecovers 6 modules, representing the full spectrum of finance, technology, and the introduction of FinTech solutions globally. We will ask questions that are not often asked or addressed when new technologies are adopted. Why should we adopt FinTech solutions, and what are the best ways to introduce disruptive technologies? How does blockchain technology change the way we provide financial services, and how should blockchain technology be governed? Is FinTech creating risks in cybersecurity and how can technology help us prevent financial crimes? As Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developed and adopted, will human biases and prejudices be built into such mechanisms? And at a larger scope, should FinTech lead to a decentralized, democratized system of finance, or will existing institutions adopt FinTech strategies to cement their existing hold on the financial markets? Through discussing and attempting to answer these questions, you will understand better how the introduction of these technologies can benefit or harm society. And through considering the proper application or introduction of such technologies, you will learn to make better decisions as an individual and organization when facing the question: is FinTech our savior or a villain?