The programme is open to third-year undergraduates and masters students from the School of Economics and Finance. In addition to being a client advisor, students attend one networking events in each semester, as a way to reach out to businesses in our local community and bring more awareness to qNomics.
Read the Leaflet Client Advisory [PDF 112KB] before you apply.
It takes place during Semester A and B of each academic year – starts in September and finishes in April the following year. Please see the below for a breakdown in the timeline of the programme.
For this programme, you are expected to have business acumen learned through academics or work experience; you will be providing advice on financial and business concepts to the given client. Nonetheless, training and supervision will be provided by renowned practitioners to all students regardless of the academic background.
In addition, you must possess:
Please make sure you are eligible and can commit to this time before applying.
Semester A
Part 1 (September and October)
Part 2 (November and December)
Semester B
Similar layout and format to Semester A.
Hopefully the other pages on our website have answered most questions, but here are some other questions we get asked.
The precise answer will depend a lot on both your client and you. You are expected to dedicate around 2-3 hours per week for client advisory project, however your client may also have higher or lower requirements depending on their business and their needs. Keep in mind however, that everyone works very hard to keep up a high standard of service in qNomics, and you may be required to do a few drafts before your advice letter is accepted.
Additionally, qNomics cannot be used as an excuse for falling behind on your regular studies. Therefore, if you normally have trouble keeping up with work, this project may not be for you. However, if you are a well-organized person, who enjoys problem solving and thrives in group projects, this project should not take up more than a few hours per week, mostly during the time of writing the advice letter. From the surveys with current and previous participants, they reported to spend around 35 hours each semester attending meetings, conducting research and preparing their reports.
The supervisors are people experienced in the business, who volunteer to help in the programme by leading the students and provide transitional feedback on their work. They will usually have a background in consulting, or other related financial services. Additionally, the supervisors host training sessions on things like Business Planning, and Funding Support, etc. which can greatly aid in both the interview stages of advisory sessions as well as many aspects of life outside of the university.
The initial consultation meeting is a 45 minute session, where you will join with the supervisor to meet the client. This time will most likely be spent on a quick introduction, then a quick interview-style discussion of the requests made in the application form and additional questions about things that might be helpful in compiling the advice letter. The client will share information related to their problems, needs. The final few minutes will likely be a summary of the information as well as the deadlines for when the advice letter is expected to be complete.
The qNomics team will assign you to a group /your supervisor at the outset of the programme. You are expected to be a part of this group and carry out the responsibilities you are assigned with. You will continue to be part of the same group for both semester A & B.
All projects are designed to fit into your work life balance. Each program includes an estimated learner effort throughout the academic year. Following to the successful completion of your group task, provided that you have met the required programme standards, you will be eligible to receive HEAR accreditation (The qNomics programme will be listed on your digital transcript).