NBK

THE MOST IMPORTANT MILESTONES OF ITCB’S HISTORY

TRAINING

November 1988: the first bank training institution in Central and Eastern Europe was established by 28 Hungarian banks and the French training center (CFPB) in order to unite skills, experiences, finance knowledge and material assets within an institution. The education activities started in 1989. At the beginning, CFPB provided a significant part of the curriculum, which was replaced later by self-developed curricula.

In 1990, ITCB launched the Postgraduate Bank Diploma Program (BADI) – the first BADI class enrolled at this time to ITCB.

In 1993, the Certificate in Banking Program (FEBI) was launched, introducing the first distance learning program ever in the Hungarian banking/financial training market. Despite so many changes in the Hungarian adult training system, FEBI remained popular during almost 25 years; its alumni “club” counts more than ten thousand participants.

In 1995 the first class of the Certified European Financial Analyst program (CEFA) began their studies. The training program has been developed and internationally accredited on the syllabus of that of the EFFAS organisation (European Federation for Financial Analysts’ Societies). The graduated students receive the joint degree of ITCB, the Central European Training Center for Brokers and the Hungarian Capital Market Professionals Society (the national member society of EFFAS) and, if meeting some further criteria, they can apply for the international CEFA degree. (For further information consult. Those who obtained the CEFA degree, can take further exams and obtain the CIIA (Certified International Investment Analyst) Diploma. See also: https://www.bankarkepzo.hu/index.php/hu/oktatas/diplomaprogramok/effas.html

In 1999, ITCB started series of conferences dealing with actual topics of risk management, focusing at first on market risk, i.e. on credit and operational risk, Basel II and the latest issues of the New Capital Accord. Later on, MiFID, Solvency and other burning issues have also been discussed.

2000-2001 were the years having been engaged with the Structural Funds Training Program (in framework of a Phare programme), which was regularly organised since then both as a standard and customized courses.

In 2001, ITCB launched the Eurobankár Program, which synthesized the knowledge on the European Union and economics with the presentation of Economic and Monetary Union.

In 2001, the Asset, Fund, Portfolio (VAP I) program was developed in cooperation with the Association of Hungarian Investment Fund and Asset Management Companies (BAMOSZ). The program, which is very popular both in its classroom and (as of autumn 2016) in on-line form, provides qualification widely acknowledged by the profession.

In 2002, ITCB developed the first professional e-learning curriculum for the Hungarian banking sector with help of modern technological possibilities and the concept of lifelong learning.

2003: year of a huge training program (with Phare-support), the Development of the Human Resources of SMEs, Hungary, Northern Great Plain, Southern Great Plain, Northern Hungary. Within this program, ITCB – with its European partners - prepared hundreds of entrepreneurs for the upcoming tasks in relation with the European Union accession.

In 2004, ITCB organised the Multipliers Training Program announced by the line Ministry for Economy and Transport. The participants who successfully passed the exam, were enrolled to the official application-writer’s register of the Ministry.

In 2003-2004, another extensive training program was developed and implemented (with Phare support), the “Training for experts of the Hungarian public administration involved in the Public Internal Financial Control and Internal Audit of the Structural and Cohesion Funds.” Altogether more than 300 participants (civil servants, government officials, representatives of the paying authority and coordinating bodies) attended the courses and two third of them took final exam. As a follow-up to the program, another project was implemented for “Training the Future Trainers of the Methodological and Training Centre for the Internal Financial Control”, in 2005-2006.

In 2006, ITCB launched its exam preparation course for the European Foundation Certificate in Banking (EFCB), the joint program and diploma of the EBTN (European Banking & Financial Services Training Association).

In 2007, having addressed the professional demand, ITCB redesigned its investment management and analysis programs and developed the Fund Management Program (VAP II). From 2007 onwards, students obtaining the Investment Analyst Diploma may also take the international CIIA exam at ITCB.

In 2008 ITCB, in cooperation with the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, developed a specialized training program of EU Regional Development Expert. The program aimed to train experts to be capable to transact regional developments financed by the EU.

In 2009, we started the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) course, which is the first level of a complex financial planner training. The same year its “older brother” the European Financial Advisor Programme (EFA) was also developed and introduced. As of autumn 2017, EFA has been offered as a postgraduate programme at the Budapest Business School, with ITCB's professional support.

1996-2017 – (ONGOING) Banking Simulation Games

The first banking simulation game was introduced sometimes in 1995-96, in presentation of ITCB’s Belgian partner institute. The game has been adapted to the Hungarian economic environment and developed to BankFiM (Bank Financial Management) game. The name of the game changed time to time, now the FinSim game is on the training schedule, which is well known in the Hungarian banks and has been introduced abroad as well (e.g. Egypt, Poland).

Specialised Certificate Programs (2-3 days long) have continually been introduced since 2013. Addressing banks’ needs to comply with Basel II and III/IV requirements, various training programs were offered such as: Certified Risk Manager; Certified CRD IV-CRR Expert; Certified Compliance Officer, Certified Anti-Money Laundering Expert.

As of 2015-16, the latest hot issues such as big data, bank security, bank IT project management, have also been present in ITCB’s training palette, either in form of conference/workshop (big data), or in formal classroom training (Bank Security, Bank IT Project Management).

CONSULTANCY

ITCB started its consulting activity in 1995; since then, we can rely on our committed, professional expert team. ITCB began training and consulting operation in relation to the new money and capital market regulatory environment, Basel II and other similar regulations in 1999. During this period, we have acquired a wide range of international and local experience. From 2004 onwards, the company has been contributing to Basel II related projects connected to credit risk and operational risk in the field of project management and consultancy in more than fifteen smaller and bigger Hungarian banks. ITCB has contributed to the development of operational risk management methods under Basel II pillar one and pillar two in several banks. ITCB coordinates and operates an operational loss database software called HunOR, which, at present, unites thirteen credit institutions.

In 2009-2010, ITCB’s consulting and training activities in the SME sector have considerably accelerated. Also, numerous analyses, evaluations and trainings related to European Union programmes have been carried out.

As of 2010, Consultancy in the non-banking sector formed a new pillar of our undertakings: Feasibility study on the operation of the regional railways in the Ipoly-valley, Analysis of the effects of the recent changes in the third-party liabilities insurance regulation in Hungary, Study of the liberalization of the railway cargo market in Hungary – just to mention a few of the studies.

ITCB constitutes to regulatory and legislative issues related to the banking vocational training by formatting professional opinion, thus,

Since 2013, ITCB is engaged in consulting-related software development. Both Rating system software and the Operational risk management software have been introduced beyond Hungary as well.

Anniversaries

ITCB will celebrate its 30th Anniversary in autumn 2018. Anniversaries offer an excellent opportunity for looking back but also for foresight. We always try to celebrate with dignity; to reach of our domestic and international partners as widely as possible. International organisations that we participate in, are usually invited to hold their annual general meetings in Budapest.

The first “celebrated” anniversary was the 10th – in 1997: conferences were held for different target groups, we invited highly respective speakers, but also organised happenings for our lecturers, students and – of course – for ourselves, too. Also, a memorable book, the "Selected lectures in ITCB between 1988-98" was published.

The 20th – in 2008
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary, a memorable conference was organised at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The lectures were recorded and made available at ITCB’s website for all interested visitors.

The 25th – in 2013
The last anniversary was celebrated in an unusual way: no special agenda has been announced, the program was a surprise – a kind of gift few days before Christmas.

What we foresee for the 30th? Design has already begun…

An outlook for the future: Talent management (The Mentoring Program)

ITCB launched its „New Wave, together to the future” mentoring program on its 20th Anniversary in 2008. During a strong selection process, yearly 10 students from leading Hungarian universities are awarded and can take the challenge to participate in the program; up till now already more than one hundred students had the chance to obtain professional, first-hand experience at one of Hungary’s number-one companies. By now, the mentoring program undergone significant changes, e.g. in its management system. As of 2015, the Alumni Board has taken over managerial tasks (see also: (http://www.mentorprogram.co).