London has long been a global financial centre, so it is an ideal destination for students of Coventry University’s School of Economics, Finance and Accounting. Accordingly, field trips to London were organised for undergraduate students on 21 February and postgraduate students on 22 February. As the photo shows, even the rain could not dampen the enthusiasm of the students. Each day included a visit to the Bank of England Museum and the award-winning London City Finance Tour, topped off with a tour of The Guildhall Art Gallery.
On arriving in London, we first visited the Bank of England Museum, which offers a captivating journey through The Bank of England’s rich history from its founding in 1694 to its evolution into a central bank maintaining monetary and financial stability still today. The museum features a unique selection of displays and as one of the students, Jing Li, observed, “the evolution of banking and shifts in lifestyle and payment methods came to life”. Students lifted a gold bar and felt its heavy weight as they engaged with the interactive exhibits and used the audio-visual aids. In the Banknote Gallery, students explored the historical evolution of banknotes, their designs and security features. They delved into the fascinating journey and gained illuminating insights from Bank of England Museum self-guided tour.
On the two-hour London City Finance walking tour, the guides explained the humble origins of the financial centre in 17th century coffee houses. The tour took in the London Stock Exchange, London Bloomberg, Guildhall, the Bank of England, Lloyds of London, Rothschild’s and many more financial institutions of historical significance. The present and future for London as a global financial centre were discussed along the way. The tour guides introduced the rich history and evolution of these financial institutions which was very informative.
Our visit to The Guildhall Art Gallery was another highlight. Entering the gallery, we encountered a rich variety of magnificent Victorian paintings displayed in their original 19th-century style. We were intrigued to learn that the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre lie beneath the Guildhall Yard and to see some of the remains of the amphitheatre displayed in situ in the basement of the Gallery. The guide’s vivid commentary gave us a good idea of what it would have looked like thousands of years ago.
The students learned a lot from the immersive learning experience, felt motivated and enlightened. Jing Li summed up the day saying “This journey was not only intellectual but also a fantastic opportunity to forge new friendships while exploring. I eagerly anticipate the next chance to delve deeper into British commercial history.” Another student, Anthony Amah, also found it a valuable learning experience and shared positive comments on LinkedIn. He reflected on “the wonderful opportunity to participate in an enriching activity organised by Coventry University and this excursion provides invaluable insights into the profound impact of the financial sector and the number of exciting opportunities it presents.” and you can see from the faces of the students in the Bank of England Museum that they are happy that they participated.
We will organize this trip again next year so that more students will benefit from this inspiring and fun learning experience. We are here for our students, as Anthony said “A heartfelt thank you to the team at Coventry University.”
Dr Mei Yu
Assistant Professor in Finance