Effective central banking and banking supervision increasingly require professionals to look beyond traditional policy boundaries. The challenges facing central banks and supervisory authorities today are interconnected, global in nature, and evolving rapidly. Geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation, climate and environmental risks, the digital transformation of financial services, and the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence are reshaping economies and financial systems in unprecedented ways.
Responding to these developments requires not only technical expertise, but also strategic and cross-disciplinary thinking, and closer collaboration across institutions and policy areas. Delivered by the Florence School of Banking and Finance (FBF) and the Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG), the CBBS Executive Education Programme was designed with this objective in mind: to help professionals across the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) better understand emerging trends, anticipate risks, and strengthen their capacity to respond to a changing environment.
Building knowledge, networks and perspectives
The third academic year of the programme brought together 50 professionals from 26 ESCB and SSM institutions, representing a wide range of functions and areas of expertise. Over eight months, participants followed an intensive learning journey combining online and residential training formats.
The curriculum covered key areas of central banking and supervision, including monetary policy, banking supervision, climate-related risks, sustainable finance, the digital transformation of financial services, AI in finance, macroprudential policies and financial stability, current European political economy challenges, diversity, equity and accountability in banking and finance, strategic foresight and geopolitical risks – among others.
By bringing together participants from different institutions, countries, and professional backgrounds, the programme fostered peer learning, cross-border collaboration, and the exchange of perspectives essential for addressing today's policy and supervisory challenges.
Concluding the academic year in Florence
From 15 to 19 June 2026, participants gathered at Palazzo Buontalenti in Florence for the programme's final residential week. The week concluded with a certificate-award ceremony chaired by CBBS Project Coordinator María del Carmen Sandoval Velasco, featuring remarks by Thorsten Beck (FBF), George Papaconstantinou (STG), Eglantine Devaux (ECB), followed by a keynote address by Patrick Montagner, Member of the Supervisory Board of the ECB.
In an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world, programmes such as CBBS play an important role in strengthening collaboration across the ESCB and SSM and preparing professionals to navigate the future of European central banking and banking supervision with confidence.