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academy

Master's degree in Digital Innovation & Artificial Intelligence: evolving trends for the banking and insurance industry

Undergraduate Master's Degree - 9th Edition
1 YEAR DUAL MODE
November 2025 - November 2026
Università Cattolica - Largo Gemelli, 1 - Milan
Number allowed: 40

Why a Master's degree in Digital Innovation & Artificial Intelligence: evolving trends for the banking and insurance industry

The growing demand for young professionals specializing in digital innovation is redefining the employment landscape. Financial institutions, driven by the adoption of advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are evolving both business models and technology integration processes.

According to the World Economic Forum's Future of jobs report 2025, 97 percent of companies globally currently have artificial intelligence (AI)-related programs underway, i.e., strategic initiatives to implement, develop or leverage AI in their business processes; at the Italian level, too, automation is attracting increasing attention in the banking, finance and insurance sectors, which see it as fundamental to the evolution of their processes.

This transformation implies a significant cultural change, requiring strategic investment in human capital upskilling and reskilling programs; more specifically, again according to WEF,87 percent of companies in the financial sector globally will invest in training their employees, and 73 percent of companies plan to hire staff with new skills to meet the new requirements.

Tech & Data skills will therefore be among the most sought-after of all: the offerings of this Master's program are designed to train professionals who can actively contribute to the implementation of technological innovation projects at the service of business. The curriculum, which directs participants toward a managerial career, is also enriched with content and skills of a regulatory nature, as well as specific teachings dedicated to the acquisition of soft skills necessary for the full use of technologies in the service of organizations and society more generally.

 The educational program also includes an exploration of the players-such as FinTech, InsurTech and RegTech-that are redefining the industry with innovative business models and disruptive technologies.

With the right combination of theory and practice, students will also have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained through hands-on labs, case studies based on real-world scenarios, and testimonials from industry leaders nationally and internationally. Startuppers and digital innovators will share their successful experiences in adopting AI to create scalable, sustainable and competitive solutions.

An additional distinguishing feature of the path is the internship or project work, which will enable students to work on real digital transformation projects in collaboration with leading companies. In addition, the Master's program offers numerous networking opportunities with middle and top managers in the industry who enrich the course with their experience and create a direct bridge to the world of work.

The Master's educational offering thus aligns perfectly with the needs of companies in the banking and insurance sector; With a placement rate of over 92 percent, the program thus confirms its strategic role as a meeting point between supply and demand for digital talent.

Date
November 2025 - November 2026
Industry
BANKING, INSURANCE, CROSS INDUSTRY
Subject areas
Digital Innovation & FinTech
Language
Italian
Contact a tutor
Registration fee
Total share
9,500 in three installments*
The fee is € 9,500 and must be paid as follows:
- € 3,500 upon matriculation
- € 3,000 by February 2026
- € 3,000 by May 2026
Discounts and economic benefits Admission to the Master's program

Why choose us

The Master's program has reached an important milestone, with more than 200 Alumni from 2017 to date. A well-established educational pathway that has prepared students to face the challenges of digital innovation and artificial intelligence, making them key players in the world of work. Below are some testimonials from our Alumni who tell how the Master's program has had a significant impact on their careers and professional lives.

"Among the strengths of the course, in addition to the highly professionalizing slant of the teaching, there is definitely the opportunity to come into contact and maintain relationships with a wide network of high-level professionals and lecturers. The experience I gained allowed me not only to enrich my knowledge of the phenomenon of digitization in Financial Services, but also, and above all, to put myself in the game by becoming part of the working world. A lively and challenging course, which I would recommend to anyone who wishes to become a player in the professions of the future." Michele Monaco - Master's student.
"This master's program has given me the opportunity to broaden my cognitive horizons, spur my curiosity. It is a path of personal growth, through the testimony of the greatest professionals in the financial sector, I realized how much work and investment is being done in the tech world, in innovation, in the so surreal but fascinating Metaverse, which until recently was a concept unknown to me, outside my understanding. This opportunity is only confirming more and more, my desire to try my hand at something big that can and should mark the foundations for the near future." Gianmarco Guardia - Master's student
"In my opinion, this training course is the right blend of theory and practice. In fact, in addition to addressing theoretical aspects that provide a complete picture of the past, current and future financial world, it allows you to come into contact with professionals who demonstrate in practice the application of the above concepts. This also allows networking thus increasing one's knowledge and the possibility of accessing more job opportunities." Chiara Beshai - Master's student
"It is an educational experience that I would recommend for growth both professionally and relationally and to gain awareness in one's abilities." Diana Gramazio - Master's student

Distinctive features

Formative Objectives.
  • Transfer innovative content and skills to train the next key players in the Digital Transformation in Finance.

 

To whom it is addressed
  • Bachelor's and/or three-year and master's (or old-school) graduates in Economics, Banking, Finance and Insurance Sciences, Engineering and Computer Science, Political Science, Law, Mathematics and Statistics, and Language Sciences. Additional courses of study will be evaluated individually. 
  • Graduates from other faculties or with equivalent foreign degrees (Bachelor's or Master's of science) with relevant Declaration of Value
  • Undergraduates awaiting graduation by the last session of the 2024/2025 academic year (by March/April 2026).
  • equally targeted are those who, already in the world of work, wish to complete their training by acquiring specific and in-depth knowledge and skills on the topics covered by the Master's program.

Additional courses of study will be evaluated individually.

Professional opportunities

The Master's program aims to accompany the professional growth of those who, having completed their studies, intend to pursue careers in Banks, Insurance Companies, Consulting Companies and in general throughout the finance ecosystem. The path is also suitable for young professionals growing within organizations.

Indeed, the rapid evolution of the industry requires new emerging professions that will be in particular demand such as:

  • Digital Analyst
  • Data Analyst and Business Intelligence Analyst
  • Data & AI specialist
  • AI Project Manager
  • AI Product Manager
  • AI ethicist
  • Innovation and Digital Officer
  • IT Manager
  • Digital Compliance Specialist
  • Anyone in any corporate function who is called upon to deal with projects related to new technologies

Teaching structure and articulation

The Master's degree is delivered in Italian and is one year long, amounting to 1,500 hours and 60 CFUs. The Master's program will start in November 2025 and end in November 2026

The educational program includes an integrated formula of classroom training, distance learning and Internship/Project Work.

Classroom classes will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 9 p.m., tentatively from November 2025 to June 2026. Internships, on the other hand, will be activated tentatively from February/March 2026.

Two application labs dedicated, to the practical experimentation of Artificial Intelligence tools through guided exercises and real-life simulations in the banking and insurance context (Artificial Intelligence Lab) complete and complement the training course; on the other hand, the Startup Lab is designed to stimulate the entrepreneurship of the class through team design of innovative start-ups.  

Students are required to attend no less than 75 percent of the total number of hours of lectures.The fruition of all training activities will be guaranteed online through the Blackboard E-Learning platform.

The detailed schedule will be communicated to participants well in advance of the Master's program start date.

In order to enhance professional experiences and expand development and career opportunities, students will have the opportunity to strengthen their network through discussions with faculty, professionals, entrepreneurs and startuppers.

Course Schedule.

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