The Department of Banking & Finance, Controlling and Real Estate

Engine for finance, management and real estate

The departments are a central driving force at HWZ. They develop programmes, promote innovation, and ensure that study, continuing education and professional practice remain closely connected. The Department of Banking & Finance, Controlling and Real Estate brings together key expertise in finance, corporate management, regulation and real estate. Its aim is to enable individuals to understand complex interrelationships, make well-informed decisions and create sustainable value.

40 years of HWZ · September 16, 2026

This article is part of the content series marking the 40th anniversary of HWZ. Through this series, we aim to showcase the diversity of stories from our university and highlight the topics and individuals that have shaped, and continue to shape, HWZ.

More about the anniversary

Financial management, governance and real estate as core competencies

Capital, financial management, regulation and real estate shape the capacity for action and success of companies and economies. The Department of Banking & Finance, Controlling and Real Estate brings together these perspectives, combining in-depth expertise with an entrepreneurial mindset.

Our aim is to enable individuals and organisations to understand complex interrelationships, make well-informed decisions, and create lasting value.

Four departments and one institute combine theory and practice

The department brings together the Centre for Financial Studies, the Centre for Accounting & Controlling, the Centre for Digital Building & Real Estate, and the Centre for Compliance. The real estate area is further complemented by the Swiss Real Estate Institute, which combines research, teaching, and services for the Swiss real estate sector.

Within HWZ, we take responsibility for key business management competencies and build a bridge between academic excellence and entrepreneurial practice. Applied research, corporate labs and consultancy mandates bring real-world questions from businesses and markets directly into teaching and continuing education.

The team behind the Department of Banking & Finance, Controlling and Real Estate

Our team brings together expertise in banking and finance, accounting and controlling, compliance, real estate management, strategy, research and consultancy. This diversity enables us to consider questions from a range of professional and business perspectives.

We are united by the conviction that financial and real estate topics should help individuals and organisations to create value and take on responsibility. We think in an interdisciplinary way, work with a practical focus, and see ourselves as companions on our students’ journeys. This approach shapes both our programmes and our collaboration with businesses and partners.

Combining specialist expertise with entrepreneurial context

The Department of Banking & Finance, Controlling and Real Estate focuses its work on four closely interconnected areas of expertise, aligned with key business decisions: deploying capital, managing financial performance, mastering regulatory requirements, and developing real estate as a strategic resource.

What sets us apart is the combination of in-depth subject expertise with interdisciplinary thinking, applied research, and the direct transfer of knowledge into practice. The HWZ DNA is reflected in our part-time and modular study programmes, our close collaboration with industry, and our commitment to rapidly translating new developments into practical skills.

Future Skills for the Finance and Real Estate Sectors

The world of finance and real estate is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence, data-driven controlling, sustainable finance, and ESG assessment of real estate are becoming increasingly important. We aim not only to integrate these developments into our education and training, but also to play an active role in shaping them.

To this end, we continuously develop our programmes in line with emerging competency requirements: for example, with AI and advanced analytics in controlling, artificial intelligence in finance, sustainable strategies in real estate, and contemporary financial markets compliance. Insights from applied research are directly incorporated into teaching and publications.

We aim to strengthen HWZ as a place where financial, regulatory and real estate developments are identified at an early stage, thoroughly assessed and translated into practical skills for action.

The department’s contribution to the HWZ of tomorrow

The Department of Banking & Finance, Controlling and Real Estate strengthens HWZ at the intersection of financial management, corporate governance, regulation and real estate. We combine specialised expertise with interdisciplinary thinking, research and a consistent transfer of knowledge into practice.

To mark our 40th anniversary, we are setting out a clear commitment: the department develops educational programmes and solutions that enable individuals and organisations to shape economic change in a well-founded and responsible manner.

Contact

Dr. Nadine Eve Rusch-Schenker

Head of Department Banking & Finance, Controlling and Real Estate
Telephone EMail