Towards a new PhD Curriculum for Digital Finance.

The rapidly evolving field of Digital Finance necessitates a new, interdisciplinary approach to doctoral training. This manuscript presents a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip early-stage researchers with the skills and knowledge required to navigate the complexities of modern finance. The curriculum is structured around four pillars: Training through Research and Mandatory Scientific Training, Advanced Scientific Training, Transferable Skills Training, and Training through Secondments.

Navigating the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) landscape: constructing a robust and reliable scoring engine - insights into Data Source Selection, Indicator Determination, Weighting and Aggregation Techniques, and Validation Processes for Comprehensive ESG Scoring Systems.

This white paper explores the construction of a reliable Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scoring engine, with a focus on the importance of data sources and quality, selection of ESG indicators, weighting and aggregation methodologies, and the necessary validation and benchmarking procedures. The current challenges in ESG scoring and the importance of a robust ESG scoring system are addressed, citing its increasing relevance to stakeholders. Furthermore, different data types, namely self-reported data, third-party data, and alternative data, are critically evaluated for their respective merits and limitations.