Lien Luu, who runs Coventry University’s degree course in global financial planning, discusses her vision for the course and the profession.

Coventry University course ‘changing the perception of financial planning’ - Horner

Two decades ago, Lien Luu, an associate professor of finance, never imagined a simple meeting with a financial adviser would inspire her to head up Coventry University’s degree in global financial planning.

Luu (pictured above) has a vision to create a centre at the university to promote the profession and develop the next generation of financial planners. Last September, she and her colleagues visited local schools and spoke to more than 700 students about the opportunities financial planning can afford and to offer the chance of a full scholarship for the degree sponsored by Brett Davidson’s adviser consultancy FP Advance and discretionary fund manager Timeline.

‘I’ve experienced bad financial planning where firms simply try to sell products, and I want to empower our students to take the right path so they can help clients in a meaningful way,’ Luu says. ‘For me, it’s about making a real difference, which is why I am so passionate.’

The course can be completed over three or four years, with the latter including a placement year. Students complete financial planning modules using case studies and cashflow modelling to create tailored financial plans, alongside core economic content. The CISI Investment Advice diploma is also fully paid for and embedded into the course content, ensuring students are prepared to enter the profession as soon as they graduate.

Hannah Nolan (pictured above), a chartered financial planner at Paradigm Norton, undertook the course between 2019 and 2022. She credits her journey into planning to Luu and the wider mentoring programme she accessed through the university, where she was paired with Don Fraser, director of London-based Capital Asset Management.

‘Don gave me a new perspective on the topics I was learning because he’d explain how he’d manage a specific concept in a live client situation,’ Nolan says. ‘We also did role plays of different situations, through which he helped to develop my soft skills.

‘Attending conferences was also a great motivator because they’d come at a time when my studying was stressful but would remind me the hard work would be worth it.’

Nolan secured work experience at Milton Keynes-based Wealth & Tax Management and in 2022 won the CISI Undergraduate Education Trust Award.

‘Without Coventry, milestones like becoming chartered would have taken much longer,’ she says.

Barry Horner, CEO of Bristol-based Paradigm Norton, supports the course and is a ‘thought contributor’, working to ensure it creates a tangible impact. He emphasises its potential to elevate financial planning into a recognised profession and develop graduates who are well prepared to make an immediate difference in the profession.

‘Coventry’s initiative is part of changing the perception of financial planning,’ he says. ‘Graduates like Hannah enter the industry with both academic and practical knowledge, allowing them to hit the ground running, which makes a significant difference to employers too.’

Coventry Business School is also launching a money clinic on the university campus, with financial planners invited to give free financial guidance to members of the public. Luu sees this as an opportunity to demonstrate the value of financial planning as a profession. Students enrolled on the course can observe financial planners during these sessions, allowing them to see how the course material is applied in real-world scenarios.

‘We want to serve the public and raise awareness of financial planning through giving back,’ says Luu.

As the demand for financial planning grows, Nolan emphasises the importance of attracting younger professionals to the field.

‘With the average financial planner in the UK in their 50s, many planners will be retiring in the near future, so there’s a real need for young people to enter the profession, and this course offers the support and opportunities to help them succeed.’