Autorenprofil
When I look back at the history of Frankfurt School’s e-Campus, I realise how closely my own professional journey is tied to its development. I was there from the very beginning, helping to shape and grow what has become one of Frankfurt School’s most impactful and international initiatives. For many years, I served as Programme Director of the e-Campus, and to this day, I continue to oversee it as part of my portfolio. What started as a small pilot 15 years ago has since developed into a thriving global learning platform, connecting finance professionals worldwide.
The e-Campus was launched in September 2010 with a very specific idea in mind: to offer the Certified Expert in Microfinance as an online course tailored to the Indian market. The course had already existed as an in-person training, but we adapted it into a digital format enriched with case studies from India.
The launch was modest, with less than 20 participants in the first cohort. At the time, it felt disappointing. But in retrospect, the small scale was a gift: it allowed us to refine processes, test assignments, and learn what worked.
And then something unexpected happened: while interest in India remained modest, requests started pouring in from other parts of the world, including Uganda, Tajikistan, Bolivia, and beyond. Instead of creating multiple local versions, we took a decisive step: we internationalised the course. The response was immediate: The next intake attracted more than 100 participants from around the globe.
With this success, the e-Campus gained momentum. We launched new courses on SME Finance and Risk Management, followed by the Certified Expert in Renewable Energy Finance, which became one of our all-time bestsellers.
A particularly bold step came five years later: creating a fully online Master’s programme, the Master of Leadership in Development Finance. It was built directly on the foundation of our certificate courses, allowing professionals to combine them into a comprehensive academic degree. Developing it was a leap in scale and ambition. Meeting accreditation standards forced us to raise the quality of all our courses, giving the e-Campus new credibility and global recognition.
As the global agenda evolved and green and sustainable finance gained importance, our programmes also changed. The Master of Leadership in Development Finance became the Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance, reflecting both, its forward-looking focus and its continued relevance in a rapidly transforming world. At the same time, our portfolio expanded in new directions. Green finance became more and more central, with courses on renewable energy finance, climate risk management, biodiversity, and ESG. Today, we offer programmes in English, French, Spanish, German, and Portuguese, reaching learners across continents. Not every experiment worked – Russian and Chinese versions never found an audience – but the spirit of innovation carried us forward.
With the portfolio, the team also grew. What used to be almost a one-man show has become a 25-person effort. I am proud to work with great minds who bring diversity, know-how, and expertise to the e-Campus.
Few people may remember that the e-Campus did not always carry its current name. Originally, it was launched under the brand LinkEd with the slogan “We link people to education – get LinkEd!”. Later, as LinkedIn introduced its own learning platform, we decided to rebrand to avoid confusion. That is how we became Frankfurt School Development Finance e-Campus, better known simply as the e-Campus.
Another turning point came with assessments. While the courses were always online self-study programmes, final exams had to be taken in person. For a decade, we managed a vast network of over 80 partner institutions worldwide to host them. This was an impressive system, but also a huge logistical challenge. By early 2020, however, we had started testing online proctoring, which was just in time. When the pandemic struck, we were ready to switch, ensuring continuity for our students when in-person exams became impossible. At the same time, we migrated our new learning platform to Canvas, providing a more professional, scalable system.
Not everyone sees sustainability as a priority. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a political backlash in some parts of the world, especially in the U.S., where climate and ESG issues are increasingly contested. But the evidence is clear: the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality are not going away.
For us, however, the message is clear: sustainability is not optional. The challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality will not disappear if we ignore them. That is why the e-Campus sees itself as part of the solution, equipping finance professionals worldwide with the tools they need to champion sustainable transformation in their institutions and communities.
15 years on, the e-Campus has grown into a truly global learning community, with thousands of participants from dozens of countries. Much has changed, but our mission has not: to empower financial professionals to drive sustainable transformation.
And in many ways, it feels like the journey has only just begun.
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