HKUST partners with KPMG, Griffith University to launch Asia’s first financial crime and forensic accounting master’s programme.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has announced a partnership with KPMG and Griffith University to introduce a new academic programme dedicated to financial crime and forensic accounting.
In a statement, HKUST said this is the first programme concentration of within a Master of Accounting programme in Asia dedicated to addressing the financial sector’s surging demand for expertise in these “critical areas”.
“This new concentration within HKUST’s MSAC [Master of Science in Accounting] programme will significantly strengthen Hong Kong’s talent pipeline to prevent and combat financial crimes, while contributing to a more secure and resilient financial system,” the statement said.
The programme concentration will feature five new specialised elective courses related to Financial Crimes and Forensic Accounting:
- Introduction to Financial Crime
- Financial Crime Regulation, Compliance and Sanctions
- Financial Crime Transaction Monitoring and Investigation
- Financial Crime Risk Management and Governance
- Data Analytics for Financial Crime Investigation
The collaboration was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). HKUST is spearheading the design of the elective courses, while Griffith University contributes its expertise to develop the teaching materials. KPMG will deliver the courses to equip students with “industry-ready skills”.
The new concentration, launching in Fall 2025, will be open to all MSAC students. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in financial crime investigation, forensic accounting, and AML/CFT.
Prof. Kai-Lung Hui, Acting Dean of HKUST Business School said the collaboration will help to shape “a new generation of professionals equipped to tackle the evolving challenges in the financial sector, both in Hong Kong and beyond.”