CME Group Foundation

The CME Group Foundation is the charitable arm of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), a NASDAQ-listed company that opened an office in Belfast in 2012 to support its derivatives and futures exchanges in Chicago and New York.

The CME Group is one of Northern Ireland's main financial technology companies.

Financial Innovation Laboratory

Overview

Using Bloomberg software, this Lab incorporates 16 Bloomberg terminals that provide students and visitors with hands-on experience of a dynamic trading environment comparable to an investment bank.

Bringing the pace and excitement of real business and macro-econometrics into the classroom students gain hands-on experience using the same information and technology relied on by financial professionals all over the world, to help gain an edge in a competitive job market.

The CME Group Foundation Financial Innovation Laboratory is the result of a strategic partnership between Ulster University Business School, the CME Group Foundation (the charitable arm of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange) and Invest NI.

The CME Group Foundation donation of $175,000 towards the establishment of the laboratory in 2015, was the first grant outside the US.

Benefits/Outcomes

• Helps enhance research practices and improve analysis of data and market-moving events
• Suitable for students from a wide range of disciplines, such as accounting, finance, economics, management and marketing
• The skills students acquire give them the advantage needed to compete in a global job market
• A talent pool developed for the growing expansion of the fintech sector in Northern Ireland

“Innovation is an integral part of CME Group’s DNA, and we are committed to supporting projects like this which help educate and develop talent”.

Alison Hamilton, Executive Director, Head of CME Group Belfast.

Find out more about the Financial Innovation Lab.

Financial Engineering Pipeline

Overview

Ulster University is working with the CME Group Foundation to support one PhD and ten MSc studentships with the aim of introducing highly skilled graduates from non-financial engineering backgrounds to access careers in financial services. This is a collaborative project across the Ulster University Business School and the Faculty of Computing and Engineering.

Benefits/Outcomes

• Addresses the skills gap by introducing highly skilled graduates from non-financial engineering backgrounds to access careers in financial services
• Comprehensive schools’ outreach programme encouraging greater understanding and enthusiasm about the study of finance, investment and technology at University

“CME Group Foundation is proud to offer the support to Ulster University and to the valuable work it is doing for the sector and for its students.  CME Group has a long track record of supporting educational initiatives that benefit individuals and the economy more broadly.”

Kassie Davis, Executive Director CME Foundation