GSN544 Sustainable Finance and Investment

Unit Outline: Flexible Period - 06A 2026, Gardens Point, Internal (Start Date: 05 May 2026)

Overview

This unit aims to empower students by enhancing their knowledge and skills in identifying and utilising sustainable finance and investment strategies to generate value for their organisations and society. Leveraging the expertise of our economics and finance faculty, the unit fosters innovation, advanced decision-making, and agility in capitalising on emerging opportunities in sustainable financing and investment and for transitioning to sustainable finance and investment strategies. It integrates real-world case studies, interactive learning sessions, insights from industry experts, and engagement with the business community. Students will explore the latest financial and investment frameworks that promote sustainable capital raising, revenue generation, and circularity, ultimately driving positive transformation in businesses and society.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Apply the principles of sustainable finance and investment to identify and evaluate opportunities to transition current organisational strategy. HO (2.1), KS (1.1)
2. Apply judgment, cognitive flexibility and critical reflection in designing sustainable financing and investment strategies to create and deliver value across organisational settings. HO (2.2), KS (1.2), SE (5.2)
3. Critically analyse and evaluate the theoretical frameworks for sustainable finance and investment and apply these to professional practice. SE (5.1), KS (1.1), HO (2.1)
4. Reflect on the change management strategies required to transition and optimise sustainable finance and investment opportunities in a workplace setting. SL (4.1), SE (5.2), KS (1.2)

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit adopts a blended learning approach and includes a variety of teaching and learning approaches, primarily self-directed learning and completion of assessment. Readings and a range of digital materials designed to support and extend learning will be delivered in the unit Canvas site. Where appropriate, social media tools and forums will be used to extend learning and build connections with students outside the class or webinar sessions. Given the importance of the unit Canvas site to the teaching and learning strategy used in this unit, a computer and tablet device with internet access is strongly recommended for all students.

There is a commitment to critical inquiry and intellectual debate about the material covered. Students are encouraged to relate the theories and research discussed to situations known to them and will be encouraged to share their experiences relating to the topics explored in this unit with the class to enrich the overall learning experience of all students. They will be provided with opportunities to apply their strategic and commercial awareness, resilience, adaptability, and creative problem-solving skills to leverage innovation and technology.

Expanding the awareness of Australian management policies and practices into intercultural and global perspectives is fostered within this unit. Typically, students enrolling in this unit have extremely varied backgrounds. There is diversity of professional background and socio-cultural background. Students are reminded that this is to their advantage, and they have much to learn from one another. To this end, students are strongly encouraged to be sensitive to cultural, gender-related and international issues.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Students will gain feedback in this unit by participating in weekly intensive workshops with academics and peers. Students will also receive written feedback on the strategy in their Assessment.

Assessment

Overview

This assessment is designed to ensure learners demonstrate the learning outcomes through a written strategy that aligns with their workplace and delivers a transition strategy to sustainable finance and investment.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Workplace Sustainable Finance and/or Investment Strategy

Write a 2000 report providing details of a transitioning strategy to sustainable finance and or investment for your workplace. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Other

Access to the QUT Bloomberg Finance Lab will be given to students if available.

Risk Assessment Statement

Nil