Teaching empirical finance courses: A project on portfolio management

The aim of this article was to assess the use of a group-based project for an empirical finance type of course. It examines the outline of the project, the methodology the students are encouraged to follow and how the course is assessed. This approach enables the students to apply many of the techniques learnt on this course and other courses such as econometrics, to determine an optimal portfolio of assets given their view on the risks in the economy. The emphasis is on risk management through portfolio diversification and the use of a simple hedge strategy. The overall aim was to introduce the students to the basics of portfolio management, as many work in this industry for their industrial placements and when they graduate. The main contribution to the literature is through the analysis of an empirically based portfolio management project. The feedback from the students suggests they felt that they had learnt useful concepts and information, in an enjoyable exercise