A seminar titled “Financial Economics and Philosophy -- It May Hurt” by Professor Vincent Chang, Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University, was held at the university’s Mohakhali campus auditorium on 1 December, 2022. Professor Chang delivered a keynote speech in this seminar, which was jointly organized by the Office of Co-curricular Activities and BRAC Business School (BBS) and attended by students, faculty members and staff of the university.
Professor Mohammad Mahboob Rahman, Treasurer, BRAC University, Professor Sang H. Lee, PhD, Dean, BBS, Professor Mohammad Mujibul Haque, Associate Dean, BBS, Dr. AB Mirza Azizul Islam, Professor, BBS, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Professor, BBS, and Professor A F M Yusuf Haider, Chairperson, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, also attended the seminar.
“We have learned that the reason that most of us study finance is for money. Do you still think understanding finance will make you rich? Don’t you think there is something else about finance that is not about money?” said Professor Chang at the seminar.
He mentioned that it has been learned from finance data that future is unpredictable. If there is no pain then there is no gain, and one’s extent of achievement may very well depend on how much one is willing to struggle, he added. He then suggested techniques to address the unpredictability of the future. The first was developing a broad perspective that is neither too optimistic nor too pessimistic and the second was maintaining constant to navigate the changing world and courage to keep going.
“The world is changing and unpredictable and so we need a constant to navigate it. I have been telling my students to ‘Follow your heart, dare to be different.’ There is nothing more constant in you than your own heart,” said Professor Chang.
Read the full speech here - Financial Economics and Philosophy -- It May Hurt