Griffith Business School is proud to announce a partnership with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and KPMG to launch Asia’s first financial crime and forensic accounting concentration within HKUST’s Master of Science in Accounting (MSAC).

The collaboration was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier this month, marking a significant step in international education and industry alignment. HKUST will lead the program design, Griffith University will provide academic expertise to develop the course materials, and KPMG will bring industry insights to life by delivering the content. The program is set to launch in late 2025.

Housed within Griffith Business School, the Academy of Excellence in Financial Crime Investigation and Compliance is playing a key role in shaping the curriculum. The Academy’s Director, Professor Andreas Chai, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to tackling one of the most pressing global challenges.

“This innovative collaboration will help grow the next generation of financial crime investigators in one of Asia’s leading financial centres. We are thrilled to contribute our academic expertise to such a timely and important initiative.”

Professor Andreas Chai

With financial crime and money laundering estimated to cost the global economy approximately US$1.45 trillion each year, the need for skilled professionals in this field is more urgent than ever. The new MSAC concentration aims to build a strong talent pipeline for the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, equipping graduates with industry-ready skills and knowledge.

The program will feature five specialised electives:

  • Introduction to Financial Crime
  • Financial Crime Regulation, Compliance and Sanctions
  • Financial Crime Transaction Monitoring and Investigation
  • Financial Crime Risk Management and Governance
  • Data Analytics for Financial Crime Investigation

Students completing this concentration will be prepared for careers in forensic accounting, financial crime investigation, and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT).