Financial Intermediation: Course Introduction & Overview

This lecture introduces the role of financial intermediaries, focusing on banks, in the financial system. It covers the goals of the course, including providing a conceptual understanding of financial intermediaries, their functions, risks they face, and regulatory aspects. The content includes facts, theoretical models, case studies, and guest lectures. Topics range from interest rate risk to bank regulation, financial crises, and technological innovations in financial intermediation. The course involves a mix of concepts, theory, empirical evidence, and practical applications, with a focus on the book 'Contemporary Financial Intermediation'.