For decades, the finance classroom has been a place of theories, graphs, and case studies — useful, but static. Today, as financial markets shift by the second and data drives every business decision, universities across the world are being challenged to make learning as dynamic as the world it describes.

At the depth of this transformation lies a simple question: How do you prepare students for markets that never pause?

As employers demand market fluency from day one, universities worldwide are rethinking how they teach, moving away from theory-heavy lectures to immersive, data-driven learning ecosystems.

In this exclusive insight, Varun Chojhar, Head – South Asia, Bloomberg , unpacks how leading institutions are transforming the academic experience through the Bloomberg Finance Lab — an ecosystem that bridges learning, research, and real-world readiness.

What’s Inside the Report?

• Beyond Textbooks: Real-Time Learning in Action
  Top universities across 65+ countries are integrating Bloomberg Terminals — the same tools used by global financial leaders — to train students in real-world market decision-making.
• From Passive Learning to Experiential Impact
   Bloomberg’s Experiential Learning Partner programme highlights institutions turning classrooms into live data labs — where students learn by doing.
• Research with a Pulse
   With live access to corporate and market data, faculty are driving cutting-edge research on AI in finance, supply chains, geopolitics, and trade.
• Accreditation and Academic Edge
  Ranking bodies now prioritise assurance of learning. Bloomberg Labs give universities a visible edge through innovation and employability outcomes.
• Centres of Finance Excellence
   Bloomberg Labs are evolving into hubs for industry collaboration, alumni engagement, and skill-building — redefining how universities compete globally. 
• Expert’s Take: “If you’re teaching finance, you need a lab that brings the markets to life — just as a chemistry lab brings experiments to life,” says Varun Chojhar.