Learning differently, but better teaching too!

Treasury remains a discipline that is not (generally) taught in universities. The profession is best learned on the job and through dedicated training courses, often delivered by national treasurers' associations. Learning methods often remain classic and traditional, albeit involving treasury practitioners. The learning methodology is questionable, and should evolve to provide better training and, above all, training in the new expertise required. What's more, the situation is critical, as treasury is no longer attractive, and no longer, or not nearly as sexy as it used to be. In this context of declining attractiveness for the function and overly traditional training, it's becoming complicated to train tomorrow's treasurers and to train them sufficiently. We need to rethink our learning methods.

Skill gap crisis

There's a “skill gap crisis” that no one can dispute. Not enough people are being trained in the new “hard skills” required of a modern treasurer. At the same time, “soft skills” are all too often neglected.  While the profession remains vital to any company, stressful because of the economic context and the stakes or risks involved, and evolving (so much so that the scope, technology and regulations impact on it), it is essential to revisit learning methods. Learning is even more important because, as we all too often forget, the older we get, the more we need to learn to remain “employable”. The paradox is that as we age, we need to learn more, not rely on old knowledge. What's more, today's knowledge is becoming obsolete faster than ever before. It is therefore essential to learn continuously, and even gradually more intensively with age. The paradox of wisdom is that age no longer allows us to rest on our laurels. Knowledge is evolving too fast to remain passive in its face. There are new methodologies that can be used to train future treasurers better, more appropriately and more effectively. We need to ask ourselves the right questions: how can we make the profession better known to young financiers? How can we attract more young people to the profession? How can we better train future treasurers and equip them with the knowledge they need to exercise their role more fully? Similarly, recruitment needs to evolve to better understand and measure the skills of future candidates. Recruitment and training must start very early. Initiatives such as BNPParibas' “talent place” are worth mentioning. We can encourage candidate assessment systems like Treasury Search. But we also need to review learning methods and incorporate the notion of virtual and distance training. We also need to consider stress management and mental health, which are often neglected. We also need to build and encourage continuous professional development, because the profession, more than any other, will continue to evolve rapidly and sustainably. I remain convinced that the effort must be a collective one and remain committed to our ATEL motto: “together we know more”. Treasurers' associations have an essential role to play and must also transform themselves in terms of training. It's a complicated challenge, and more important than some might imagine. But what are these famous new learning methods? It is a way to better and faster learn. However, the methods count but are not enough. Treasury must also enlarge the scope of skills to properly manage treasury of the future.

New learning methods to contemplate

New teaching methodologies are changing the educational environments around the world and driving better academic performance among students. We go over some of the main innovative approaches that educators have forged over the last few years and that every 21st century teacher should be acquainted with.

(1)  Flipped Classroom

One of the modern methodologies that has gained more popularity in recent years, Flipped Classroom is a pedagogical approach in which the traditional elements of the lesson taught by the teacher are reversed – the primary educational materials are studied by the students at home and then, worked on in the classroom. The main objective of this methodology is to optimize time in class by dedicating it, for example, to meeting the special needs of each individual student, develop cooperative projects or work on specific tasks.

(2)  Project-Based Learning

With the arrival of new information and communication technologies to schools, both new teaching methodologies as well as new versions of existing methodologies, now revised and updated for the digital generation, have emerged. One of the most used in class at present is Project-Based Learning (PBL). In its essence, PBL allows students to acquire key knowledge and skills through the development of projects that respond to real-life problems. Teaching based on projects or integrated tasks, is today the best didactic guarantee for an effective development of key skills while also acquiring the knowledge of the curriculum’s content. Starting from a concrete problem, instead of the traditional theoretical and abstract model, sees notable improvements in students’ ability to retain knowledge as well as the opportunity to develop complex competencies such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration or the problem solving.

(3)  Cooperative Learning

“Stronger together”. This concept is a simple way cooperative learning, a methodology that teachers use to group students together and, thus, impact on learning in a positive way. The proponents of this model theorize that working in a group improves the attention, involvement and acquisition of knowledge by students. The final goal is always group-oriented and will be achieved if each of the members successfully performs their tasks. The main characteristic is that it is structured based on the formation of groups of 3-6 people, where each member has a specific role and to reach objectives it is necessary to interact and work in a coordinated manner. In a cooperative learning context, the final goal is always common and will be achieved if each of the members successfully performs their tasks. On the other hand, individual learning has students focusing on achieving their objectives without having to depend on the rest of their classmates.

(4)  Gamification

The integration of game mechanics and dynamics in non-ludic environments, or gamification, has been practiced for a long time. Over the past few years, however, and particularly due to the evolution of videogames, the phenomenon has gathered unprecedented dimensions and is one of the most talked about as a current and future trend of the EdTech industry. Since, in the 80’s, games with an international vocation such as the “Carmen Sandiego” series or “Reader Rabbit” (see infographic below) have gained worldwide popularity, the development of educational titles has increased consistently. Not only those aimed at the public but, ever more often, those specifically designed for students and particular courses. This trend was consolidated with the increasing inclusion of gamification in school curricula, and it is estimated that this inclusion will continue to grow in the future. You might also like

(5)  Problem-Based Learning

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a cyclic learning process composed of many different stages, starting with asking questions and acquiring knowledge that, in turn, leads to more questions in a growing complexity cycle. Putting this methodology into practice does not only mean the exercise of inquiry by students but convert it into useful data and information. According to several educators, the four great advantages observed with the use of this methodology are: the development of critical thinking and creative skills, the improvement of problem-solving abilities, increased student motivation and better knowledge sharing in challenging situations

(6)  Design Thinking

Education has always been a prolific space for innovation. Teachers all over the world are constantly coming up with new ideas and methodologies to introduce in the classroom making the best of the tools at their disposal. Design Thinking (DT) applied stems from industrial designers and their unique method to solve problems and satisfy the needs of their clients. Applied to education, this model makes possible to identify with greater accuracy the individual problems of each student and generate in their educational experience the creation and innovation towards the satisfaction of others, which then becomes symbiotic.

(7)  Thinking-Based Learning

Beyond the debate around the effectiveness of learning by memorizing facts and data when discussing education, one of the most talked about aspects is the need to show students how to work with the information they receive at school. Teach them to contextualize, analyze, relate, argue… In short, convert information into knowledge. This is the goal of Thinking-Based Learning (TBL), developing thinking skills beyond memorization and, in doing so, developing effective thinking on part of the students.

(8)  Competency-Based Learning

All learning methodologies have the acquisition of knowledge, the development of skills and the establishment of work habits as their main goals. Competency-Based Learning (CBL) represents a set of strategies to achieve this. Through assessment tools such as rubrics, teachers can go through the academic curriculum without significant deviations but focusing it on a different way, putting into practice real examples and, thus, transmitting to their students a more tangible dimension of the lessons.

Conclusions and recommendations

The learning method is important for better learning, and for making courses more attractive and effective. But it's not enough: the teaching methodology must be complemented by the content, which must also be adapted to the new environment of the modern treasurer. These two key components will revolutionize treasury teaching.  Our treasurers' associations (but not only these) should start to rethink their learning methods, in addition to communicating about the treasurer's profession, which is sexy, but unfortunately not perceived as such by young people. They should also take care to better define the soft and hard skills required of a modern treasurer and offer ad hoc training courses. In an increasingly complex world, with an evolving profession, isn't it best to better prepare resources by giving them the necessary skills, but also ensuring that the methodology is adapted? Young people have different aspirations in terms of methodology and pedagogy, and no longer want to spend centuries studying for a diploma. They prefer to acquire specific, precise skills so as not to waste time on conventional, “classic” learning. This is one of the many challenges facing all stakeholders, starting with treasurers' associations in Europe.

François Masquelier, CEO of Simply Treasury – Luxembourg - Summer 2025