On March 6, Dr. Bai Yunqian, a faculty member of the Finance (International class) at the School of International Culture and Communication, co-delivered the first joint lecture of the semester on "Green Finance (Bilingual)" with Professor Edwin B. Koenck from the Business School at Ulster University, UK—our partner institution—for students of the Class of 2023.

In class, Professor Edwin and Dr. Bai Yunqian provided an in-depth analysis of the critical role of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors within the modern financial system. They illustrated how the financial industry can drive global sustainable development by aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and discussed the challenges posed by "greenwashing" to industries in China. This joint course further helps international program students adapt to the authentic classroom environments of their overseas partner institutions, stimulating their interest in exploring cutting-edge global knowledge within diverse and multicultural learning settings.

"Green Finance (Bilingual)" is a signature course of the Finance (International class) at BCU university, developed through collaborative curriculum design between Chinese and international partners. Prior to the course, the two instructors held in-depth discussions on teaching content, pedagogical approaches, and shared teaching materials, laying a solid foundation for effective course delivery.

Professor Edwin brings extensive industry experience, having previously worked at renowned financial institutions including CIT Group, Hancock Whitney Bank, Capital One, and Citigroup. He specializes in areas such as commercial portfolio risk analysis, structured financial transactions, and integrating climate risk into financial models. He successfully incorporated real-world case studies from leading international financial firms into the classroom at Beicheng, enriching the learning experience with practical, global insights.