The module examines trends in international banking and then focuses on regulatory and supervisory issues in light of the 2007-09 Global Financial crisis. The module considers the following topics: What a bank is and why banks are regulated; the internationalisation of banking, globalisation, and the growth of the shadow banking system; securitisation, mortgage backed securities, CDOs and the ‘subprime crisis’; the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 and, the ‘Credit Crunch’, and the Global Financial Crisis, and the ‘Great Recession’, stabilising and re-regulating national and international banking and financial systems; re-thinking the regulation of retail banking and consumer protection.

By the end of the module the student should be able to:

• critically appraise the evolution of the international banking and finance system post 1970 and, the international banking regulation and supervision in selected countries;
• critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the current regulatory and supervisory systems;
• demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of current issues relating to bank regulation and supervision;
• critically evaluate policy proposals.