IBF502 International Financial Environment
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Sep 09, 2025
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International Business and Finance
Mehmed Ganić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of international financial markets, focusing on the activities of multinational corporations and the role of global financial centers. Its primary goal is to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of cross-border financial transactions and the global economy.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Keith Pilbeam, Finance and Financial Markets, third issues, Palgrawe Macmillan
Additional Literature
Cavalli and Sartori, (2022). Cashless Society: A Real Revolution?Teaching Methods
The methods include lectures (which may involve power point presentation
Video and audio aids)
Student presentations
Projects and class discussions.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E - finance , digitalization and cashless society | Cavalli and Sartori, 2022, ,Lecture notes |
| 2 | Why markets matter? | Ch2, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes |
| 3 | Motives behind Building of International Financial Centre | Ch1, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes |
| 4 | Regulation of the Financial sector | Ch18, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes |
| 5 | What money markets do and Investing in money markets | Ch5, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes |
| 6 | Why issue bonds? | Ch6, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes |
| 7 | Special Issues in International finance and Review | |
| 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |
| 9 | Assignment I: Summarize the main points of each of the following speaker (1 page each)) | https://www.aeaweb.org/webcasts/2023/shocks-crises-consequences |
| 10 | Assignment II: Summarize the main points of each of the following speaker (1 page each) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxo32C6oIeQ |
| 11 | Article review 1 -Fintech and banking: What do we know? | doi.org/10.1016/j.jfi.2019.100833 |
| 12 | Article review 2 - Hong Kong SAR and Singapore as Asian Financial centers | IMF |
| 13 | Review for the Final project | |
| 14 | Class discussion- final project | |
| 15 | Class discussion- final project |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBF502.1 | Course | Thursday 17:00 - 19:50 | B F1.1 FBA Graduate Seminar Room | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 15:00 | B F1.14 | |
| Tuesday | 13:00 - 15:00 | B F1.14 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 4 5
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3 5
Article review 1
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2
Article review 2
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2
Assigment I and Assigment II each 5
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 4
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Home Study
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Assignment
12 hours ⏳ (4 week × 3 h)
Project
30 hours ⏳ (10 week × 3 h)
Midterm Exam Study
14 hours ⏳ (1 week × 14 h)
Final Exam Study
19 hours ⏳ (1 week × 19 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [IBF502] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Sep 09, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| IBF502 | International Financial Environment | 3 | 0 | 6 | Thursday 17:00-19:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Mehmed Ganić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-15:00 Tuesday: 13:00-15:00 |
|||||||
| mganic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of international financial markets, focusing on the activities of multinational corporations and the role of global financial centers. Its primary goal is to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of cross-border financial transactions and the global economy. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Keith Pilbeam, Finance and Financial Markets, third issues, Palgrawe Macmillan | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | The methods include lectures (which may involve power point presentation, video and audio aids), student presentations, projects and class discussions. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | E - finance , digitalization and cashless society | Cavalli and Sartori, 2022, ,Lecture notes | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Why markets matter? | Ch2, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Motives behind Building of International Financial Centre | Ch1, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Regulation of the Financial sector | Ch18, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes | ||||||||
| Week 5 | What money markets do and Investing in money markets | Ch5, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Why issue bonds? | Ch6, Keith Pilbeam,Lecture notes | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Special Issues in International finance and Review | |||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Assignment I: Summarize the main points of each of the following speaker (1 page each)) | https://www.aeaweb.org/webcasts/2023/shocks-crises-consequences | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Assignment II: Summarize the main points of each of the following speaker (1 page each) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxo32C6oIeQ | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Article review 1 -Fintech and banking: What do we know? | doi.org/10.1016/j.jfi.2019.100833 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Article review 2 - Hong Kong SAR and Singapore as Asian Financial centers | IMF | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Review for the Final project | |||||||||
| Week 14 | Class discussion- final project | |||||||||
| Week 15 | Class discussion- final project | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 2,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 30 | 1,3,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Article review 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | Not Allowed | |
| Article review 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | Not Allowed | |
| Assigment I and Assigment II each 5 | 2 | 10 | 1,4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Home Study | 2 | 15 | 30 | |||
| Assignment | 3 | 4 | 12 | Project | 3 | 10 | 30 | |||
| Midterm Exam Study | 14 | 1 | 14 | Final Exam Study | 19 | 1 | 19 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 28/09/2025 | |||||||||