## Financial Development and Financial Inclusion

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Financial Development and Financial Inclusion](https://www.imf.org/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/ol/2026/fdfixol26-134)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/ol/2026/fdfixol26-134/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/ol/2026/fdfixol26-134/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/ol/2026/fdfixol26-134/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Session: OL 26.134
- Location: Course conducted online
- Dates: May 1, 2026 - April 15, 2027 (50 weeks)
- Delivery method: Online Training
- Primary language: English
- Status: Apply online by April 1, 2027 Deadline extended

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### Program overview
- Training Program offered by the Institute for Capacity Development, IMF.
- Target Audience: Mid-level to senior officials from central banks and government agencies dealing with regulation of the financial sector.
- Delivery Method: Online Training.
- Primary Language: English.

### Qualifications and technical requirements
- Expected background: basic knowledge of economics or finance.
- Helpful but not required: knowledge of econometrics.
- Technical skills and equipment:
  - Basic Microsoft Excel skills.
  - Access to a computer with a reliable Internet connection.
  - Google Chrome web browser.

### Course description and analytical focus
- Outlines the macroeconomic relevance of financial development and financial inclusion.
- Begins with an analytical framework defining the role of finance in the economy.
- Reviews conceptual and empirical literature on the impact of finance on macroeconomic performance and growth.
- Addresses policy issues to:
  - Encourage financial development (market-enabling policies).
  - Limit potential destabilizing effects of financial development (market-harnessing policies).
- Introduces financial inclusion as an integral dimension of financial development and contrasts it with prior emphasis on financial depth.
- Reviews:
  - Indicators currently used to measure financial inclusion.
  - Distinct macroeconomic impact of financial inclusion.
  - Main policy strategies pursued to promote inclusion.

### Learning objectives
Upon completion of the course, participants should be able to:
- Identify a framework for financial market development and financial inclusion, and why they matter for economic growth and development.
- Measure the degree of financial development and inclusion for a country or countries using a wide range of standard indicators and use benchmarking to compare a country to its peers.
- Identify strategies and policies to support the development of financial intermediaries and capital markets in a country, considering initial conditions and links between the financial sector and the macroeconomy.
- Understand the unique challenges SMEs face accessing finance; describe how financial intermediaries can better tailor their products to the needs of the SMEs.
- Provide standard methodologies for managing risks associated with SME lending; evaluate how government policies can improve the lending environment for SMEs and understand the role of state banks and MDBs, including their role in mitigating risks.
- Evaluate the benefits and costs of different financial inclusion policies and identify strategies to promote financial inclusion for households and micro-enterprises.
- Understand various uses of technology in the financial sector (Fintech) and how they could be used to improve the efficiency and inclusiveness of financial services without generating financial instability.

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## References

- [Online Training](https://www.imf.org/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/delivery-methods)
- [Apply Now](https://www-ins.imf.org/TAS/signon.aspx?pkey=OL26.134E)
- [Climate in Macroeconomic Framework (CMF)](https://www.imf.org/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/at/2026/cmfat26-22)
- [Big Data for Macroeconomic Statistics (BDMS)](https://www.imf.org/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/at/2026/bdmsat26-27)
- [Financial Development and Financial Inclusion (FDFI)](https://www.imf.org/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/at/2026/fdfiat26-24)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/capacity-development/training/icdtc/schedule/ol/2026/fdfixol26-134_