This Introductory course covers fundamental knowledge about the banking industry. The course begins with an overview of the role and genesis of the financial system and the nature of financial intermediation. It covers the main characteristics and types of banks (e.g., commercial and mutual; retail and wholesale; role of central banks) and analyzes recent trends and developments in banking markets. The module also explores the main items contained in banks' financial statements and explains how to assess bank performance by using basic financial ratios. The second part of the course focuses on the main risks of banking, with reference to credit risk and liquidity risk, and outlines elementary risk management and asset and liability management techniques. Moreover, it examines the rationale for bank regulation and distinguishes between the different types of regulation, especially in relation to the recent financial crisis.