Training

Asset recovery postgraduate programme: Celebrating our first graduating cohort

How and where can a professional acquire specialised knowledge in asset recovery? A year ago, that question didn’t have an easy answer. Today, it does: with the postgraduate programme "CAS Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery", offered by the Basel Institute on Governance and the University of Basel. This July, we were delighted to welcome the first cohort to our headquarters in Basel and host the 1.5-day hybrid closing event. Here are a few highlights from the programme, and what participants themselves had to say about their experience. A programme unique in its class This Certificate of Advanced Studies CAS was developed to address a longstanding gap in postgraduate education. While aspects of asset recovery are covered in some university courses, there has until now been no similar qualification combining academic learning with practical skills. The programme draws on more than two decades of experience from our International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR , which has worked with authorities around the world to strengthen financial investigations, asset recovery and international cooperation. Graduates receive a CAS degree from the University of Basel, one of Switzerland's leading universities. A global classroom The first cohort brought together prosecutors, investigators, lawyers, anti-money laundering specialists, development practitioners, bankers and policy professionals from 10 countries across Africa, South America, Asia and Europe. The online format with live sessions helped make that possible. It gave participants the flexibility to join from anywhere in the world and balance the course with their day-to-day work – and, just as importantly, to connect with peers working under completely different legal systems. That’s exactly the kind of contact that matters for international cooperation. As one participant from Europe explained: The exchange with other participants working in different jurisdictions was extremely valuable. That was crucial for seeing how asset recovery is approached differently elsewhere, and what options other jurisdictions have. Asset recovery is a global issue now – money moves across the world, so you can't just sit in your office thinking everything stops at the border. The cohort also spanned different levels of expertise, from prosecutors to lawyers working in cybercrime to people just entering the field. As another participant, who works in development cooperation, explains: After having worked for two decades in development cooperation, I realised that if less money was lost to financial crime, countries could decide more autonomously where to invest in their own development. So I got interested in the topic of money laundering, and how we could get better at fighting it. Learning by doing When we asked participants what they found most valuable or unique about the programme, the answer was always the same: its practical approach. Asset recovery is a complex discipline that spans financial investigations, international cooperation, prosecution and the management and return of confiscated assets. Professionals working in this field need not only legal knowledge, but the practical skills that can be applied across different jurisdictions and institutional settings. Over six months, the cohort engaged in interactive online sessions built around real cases and realistic simulated investigation exercises, guided by practitioners who have investigated and prosecuted financial crime themselves. A participant from Uruguay explains: In most certifications, the focus tends to stay on theory and definitions, spending a lot of time discussing ethical and regulatory issues. But in this case, it was so case-specific and applied that by the end, you know what you have to do, you know how to investigate and you know the steps for asset recovery. The final project: a professional opportunity That practical focus culminates in the personal project each participant is now completing in order to graduate: a chance to advance a project from their own work, a side interest or simply an area they want to explore in more depth. One participant is taking the programme to build up a specialised Asset Recovery Office within the Ministry of Justice. It tackles the problem that currently, competence is split between the prosecutor's office and the police, and neither magistrates nor police officers have the same view of the data. Another participant is working on a proposal to bring public-private collaboration to her country's asset recovery efforts. She noticed a clear gap: information that should flow between the two sectors simply wasn't being exchanged. Throughout the programme, she tested her model with instructors, refining it with their feedback. Her final project now sets out how that collaboration could actually work in practice. Discussing future career steps The closing event was also a chance to look ahead to the careers and opportunities this certificate can open. An exclusive panel discussion showcased the breadth of career paths in combating financial crime, bringing together experts from international organisations, the public sector and private industry. The panel featured Kodjo Attisso Coordinator of the Illicit Finance Fusion Center – Africa at UNODC , Federica Maschera Group Financial Crime Engagement Manager at HSBC Holdings plc , Pedro Gomes Pereira Advisor on Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery and Maria Schnebli Federal Prosecutor at the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland . The panellists shared their career paths and challenges in the various sectors, and the steps they took to get to their current affiliations. Maria Schnebli also gave a keynote speech on international collaboration and the challenges of combating financial crime from a Swiss prosecutor's perspective. This tied in perfectly with the work the students had done throughout the course. The Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund Some students in this cohort could only take the course thanks to financial support. We launched the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund to help cover tuition costs for talented professionals from low-income backgrounds. We have received, and continue to receive, generous donations from organisations and individuals alike. Julio Petrucci, a prosecutor at the Attorney General's Office of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was one of the participants who benefited. As he puts it: To donors and benefactors, I would say that your contribution isn't just individual support for one student – it's a direct investment in justice across our countries. Thanks to your contribution, I now have the tools to investigate complex crimes and recover assets that belong to society. We are deeply grateful to our donors for making these opportunities possible, especially the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, Bonifassi Avocats, Bennett Jones, ECO Strategic Communications and Kellerhals Carrard. Another way to build capacity As the first cohort prepares to graduate, the programme marks another step in the Basel Institute's efforts to strengthen global capacity to investigate financial crime, recover stolen assets, and build a new generation of practitioners connected through a worldwide community of practice. Along with our second postgraduate programme, “CAS Mastering Today’s Anti-Corruption Challenges”, it marks our current portfolio of practice related academic programmes to support careers, knowledge and skills development of talented international professionals and practitioners. Congratulations to all the participants of this first cohort. Learn more ::: links - Discover “Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery” - Postgraduate programme delivered online in partnership with the University of Basel. - Contribute to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund - Help train the next generation of anti-corruption professionals. - Discover our offer of short online training courses - Practitioner-led training focused on real-world financial crime challenges. :::

Six new certified trainers will scale financial investigation and asset recovery capacity in Romania

As part of a wider Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Programme, our International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR has concluded a successful nine-month train-the-trainer TTT programme in Bucharest. Alongside delivering foundational money laundering and asset recovery training to 125 practitioners in total, the programme has certified six new local trainers. Equipped with ICAR’s unique training methodology, they are now ready to independently train their peers and help strengthen financial investigation and asset recovery capacity across Romania. Building sustainable national capacity The six trainers certified through the programme include one judge, four prosecutors and one representative of the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets ANABI . Fully independently, they will now deliver a further 15 workshops across the country. This effort will effectively bring the total number of practitioners trained to around 500, including judges, prosecutors, specialists, ANABI inspectors and other relevant practitioners. This is a clear example of how train-the-trainer programmes are a proven approach to building sustainable national capacity. On one side, certified local trainers help ensure that knowledge and skills continue to be transferred even after a programme concludes. On the other side, participants benefit far more from learning from peers who understand their specific challenges and possibilities. Two critical legal tools in focus This time, the programme placed particular emphasis on two areas where practitioners can strengthen their response to financial crime: treating money laundering as a standalone offence and launching financial investigations from the earliest stages of a case. 1. The standalone money laundering offence A persistent challenge in money laundering investigations is the assumption that prosecutors must first prove or secure a conviction before pursuing money laundering charges. Under the Council of Europe's Warsaw Convention CETS No. 198, Art. 9 and EU Directive EU 2018/1673 on combating money laundering by criminal law, a conviction for money laundering actually requires neither a prior nor a simultaneous conviction for the predicate offence, nor that the predicate offence be established or identified with precision: prosecutors need only show that the property derives from criminal activity, not which specific crime generated it. As one of the newly certified trainers reflected: I highly valued the new perspective of setting aside the old view of placement, layering and integrating the proceeds of a crime in order to prove money laundering. … It was very useful the approach of covering as many areas as possible impacted by money laundering, like crypto assets, which I did not know almost anything about before, and asset recovery, which is not a topic very much considered in our practice. I was also very impressed how the concept of multi-stakeholder approach in fighting ML was reflected in setting up the groups for the practical exercise. 2. Systematic use of parallel financial investigations Another important approach is the systematic use of parallel financial investigations to identify and trace criminal assets from the outset of a case. This approach is now required under Directive EU 2024/1260 on asset recovery and confiscation, which obliges Member States to launch asset-tracing investigations alongside criminal investigations into high-revenue-generating crime, rather than waiting for a conviction before tracing assets. This shift is already visible in practice. One trainer wrote: I started talking to my colleagues about financial investigations and money laundering. I managed to send to court my first money laundering case, though not standalone, and I also started asking the police to start financial investigations from the beginning of the file. From training to real cases The effect of our training has also reached institutional level. One trainer reported: The management has started disseminating theoretical and practical materials on these topics, organising meetings and training sessions with practitioners and academics, and actively encouraging prosecutors to consider money laundering and asset recovery aspects in their cases. These initiatives have facilitated increased awareness and engagement within the institution. This is exactly the dual impact we seek through the Train-the-Trainer model: a sustainable, independently delivered training capacity, paired with a genuine shift in how practitioners approach financial investigations in their daily work and how their institutions prioritise it. With the first independently delivered workshops planned for September 2026, our ICAR training team looks forward to following the six newly certified trainers and seeing their work generate further impact across Romania. About the programme This TTT was part of the Component 3 of a larger Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Programme Strengthening the institutional capacity in the area of financial investigations and asset recovery FIARS . This component is implemented by the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice PICCJ as component operator, in partnership with the National Institute of Magistracy INM and the Basel Institute on Governance as the Swiss partner.

Q&A: Why civil society and journalists need asset recovery skills – and how they can gain them

Investigative journalists and civil society organisations are often the first to uncover corruption, suspicious financial flows and hidden assets. But turning those discoveries into successful financial investigations and recovered assets requires specialised knowledge that many practitioners have never had the opportunity to acquire. To help bridge this gap, the Basel Institute's International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR has developed a new training course on Asset Recovery for Civil Society and Journalists. Combining practical exercises, open-source intelligence techniques and a realistic corruption case simulation, the course equips participants with a deeper understanding of how assets are traced, investigated and ultimately recovered. In this Q&A, ICAR trainers Tom Walugembe and Emmanuel Mringo explain why the training was developed, what makes its approach distinctive, who it is designed for and the impact they hope participants will have after completing it. What specific gap or need led to the development of this course for civil society and investigative journalists? In the past two decades we have seen major financial crime scandals, such as the Panama and Pandora Papers leaks, in which efforts by organisations like the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists ICIJ and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project OCCRP have led to financial crime investigations and prosecutions. Yet in many parts of the world, journalists and other non-state actors like civil society organisations CSOs are under-equipped with the knowledge of asset recovery processes needed to carry out their core work effectively. For CSOs, that often includes advocacy for policy reform. For journalists, it means evidence-based investigative reporting, as well as the skills to trace illicit financial flows, understand money laundering typologies and gather actionable information whose exposure can trigger financial investigations and lead to the recovery of stolen assets. There is international recognition of their importance in the fight against corruption – e.g., Article 13 of the UN Convention Against Corruption, which requires state parties to take measures to promote the participation of CSOs and individuals in the fight against corruption. But when it comes to investigating and recovering proceeds of corruption, there is little or no targeted training to enable CSOs and journalists to play this role effectively. We developed the course to address these capacity gaps. How does this course fit within and complement ICAR’s wider training and learning offer? This course complements ICAR’s broader training portfolio by broadening its traditional audience. ICAR training programmes focus heavily on law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, financial intelligence units and judicial authorities. This new module extends ICAR’s reach to non-state actors while aligning with ICAR’s uniquely effective methodology and offerings. It also integrates with Basel LEARN, the Basel Institute’s online learning platform, which enables blended learning and pre-course preparation. The course emphasises core ICAR themes, including parallel financial investigations, international cooperation, and asset tracing, freezing and confiscation. And ICAR’s postgraduate programmes on asset recovery? Unlike the ICAR-led Certificate of Advanced Studies CAS programme on Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery, this is a short professional training course rather than a university-accredited academic programme. The CAS programmes, delivered in partnership with the University of Basel, run over six months and require around 300 hours of study. By contrast, this course provides a focused, accessible introduction to asset recovery concepts and practical skills. The aim is to enable individuals to strengthen their contribution to transparency, accountability and anti-corruption efforts without the substantial time commitment of a postgraduate programme. What makes the course’s approach – especially the use of a simulated case and OSINT –distinctive for this audience? Like other ICAR training modules, the course focuses on developing practical skills through the “learn by doing” methodology. Participants do not simply learn theoretical concepts in a classroom setting. Working in teams, they conduct a simulated corruption and money laundering investigation. They learn to follow financial trails wherever they lead, through layers of international banking transactions and the misuse of offshore shell companies. As this audience of CSOs and investigative journalists lacks investigative powers such as accessing bank accounts or searching premises , the course emphasises alternative methods for securing information that could trigger or support financial investigations. These include using access to public information laws and open-source intelligence OSINT . What kind of real-world impact do you realistically hope participants will have after completing the training? First, better investigations. Individuals who complete the course will gain stronger OSINT skills to effectively gather information on financial crime and illicit assets. They will have broader knowledge to detect modern bribery and money laundering schemes. They will understand anti-money laundering frameworks and the meticulous process of conducting financial investigations. They will have greater capacity to analyse financial records, such as bank statements, company documents and procurement records. Second, more objective reporting. The course will expose participants to the practical challenges of financial investigations and asset recovery, including capacity gaps, asset management and slow international cooperation. This will lead to, among other things, more objective press reporting on financial crimes and asset recovery cases. Third, a stronger accountability role. Upon completing the course, participants will also have the broader knowledge needed to report on and follow up on the reuse of recovered assets, ensuring they are used effectively. Fourth, a stronger network. The course will provide a platform to foster better cooperation among CSOs, investigative journalists and law enforcement agencies. It will also foster regional and international cooperation among CSOs and Investigative Journalists. Our dream? That CSOs and journalists go from being external observers and reporters to complementary actors who ensure that financial investigations are effective and transparent, and that stolen assets are quickly detected, traced, seized, well-managed, confiscated, repatriated and deployed to achieve sustainable development. Ambitious, but essential to making a dent in the corruption and financial crime that hinder development and prosperity worldwide. Interested in bringing this training to your organisation or network? The Asset Recovery for Civil Society and Journalists course can be delivered either onsite or online for booked groups of approximately 25–30 participants. It is suitable for national, regional or international audiences and can be tailored to specific contexts and learning needs. For individuals, the course is also offered online as an open enrolment programme, allowing participants from anywhere in the world to join. To learn more or discuss delivery options, contact training@baselgovernance.org.

New training courses expand access to financial investigation and asset recovery skills

The Basel Institute on Governance is expanding its training offer to help more professionals build practical skills in financial investigations and asset recovery. Building on decades of global experience, we are launching new courses for both public-sector practitioners and non-state actors. Our hands-on, case-based training is now accessible to a wider audience than ever before. Reaching new audiences For the first time, our flagship financial investigations and asset recovery training is available as an open enrolment online course for individual public-sector practitioners. We are also expanding our offer for civil society organisations, investigative journalists and other professionals outside government. These groups play a growing role in exposing financial misconduct and supporting accountability. The new courses build on the success of our popular Introduction to blockchain: Crypto investigation and AML compliance course. This course equips participants to tackle the misuse of cryptoassets for financial crime. New course for public-sector practitioners The financial investigations and asset recovery online course is a five-day, instructor-led training for investigators, prosecutors, judges and financial intelligence practitioners. Participants work through a realistic case. They apply practical techniques to follow financial leads across jurisdictions, analyse financial flows, gather evidence using open-source intelligence and develop effective investigative strategies. The first open-enrolment course will take place from 20–24 July 2026. New courses for civil society and journalists We are also launching Asset recovery for civil society and journalists, tailored to non-state actors working to uncover corruption and track public funds. This includes private-sector professionals working in compliance or investigations. Two formats are available: An online course for individual participants, with the first open-enrolment session planned from 2–5 November 2026. A tailored training programme for organisations and groups, delivered on site or virtually. Both formats are built around a realistic corruption case. Participants gain hands-on experience in tracing assets, analysing financial information and understanding how asset recovery works in practice. Part of a wider learning offer These courses complement our broader learning ecosystem. This includes Basel LEARN, our free eLearning platform, and Basel STUDY, our academic programmes. Together, they provide flexible pathways for professionals to build and deepen their expertise. A proven track record The training courses are led by practitioners from the Basel Institute's International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR . Over the past 18 years, ICAR has trained more than 5,800 practitioners from financial intelligence units, law enforcement, prosecuting and judicial authorities in over 138 countries. An independent study by Fondazione Safe found that our case-based, "learning by doing" approach drives meaningful institutional change and strengthens the effectiveness of efforts to tackle corruption and related crimes. Thierry Ravalomanda, Head of Training at ICAR, explained: “We know from experience that practical, skills-based training makes a real difference in the fight against financial crime. By opening up our flagship courses to individual practitioners and expanding our offer for civil society and journalists, we are helping more people develop the tools they need to trace assets, follow the money and support accountability.” With these new courses, we aim to make our expertise accessible to a broader community working to prevent, detect and address financial crime.

A career with purpose in public finance management: Límberg Chero

Our colleague Límberg Chero has played an important role in establishing the Basel Institute’s strong presence in Peru. From the early years – even before a formal office existed in Lima – to his current work with the Subnational Public Finance Management Programme Programa GFP Subnacional , his journey reflects a great passion for fighting corruption. It began far from the capital, in an ancient town in northern Peru, and was strengthened through rigorous academic training and years of public service. This article is part of a series on careers in fighting financial crime and opportunities to learn and study with the Basel Institute. The take-off in Peru My journey at the Basel Institute on Governance began even before the Lima office existed. In 2014, together with colleagues from the Basel Institute – including our dearly missed Managing Director of two decades, Gretta Fenner, and my colleague Óscar Solórzano – we launched a public finance management project funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland SECO . Although centred on macroeconomics and fiscal policy, its essential goal was to make the public budget tangible and meaningful for citizens. To do this, we moved beyond traditional approaches and integrated innovative tools, like the use of behavioural science to prevent corruption and foster integrity in the management of public finances. This comprehensive perspective – a novelty in Peru at the time – was key to the project proposal’s success. Since then, the Subnational Public Finance Management Programme for regional and municipal governments in Peru has retained SECO’s trust for more than 10 years. The secret behind this success lies not only in improved processes and fiscal discipline, but in the continuous work with people committed to change. Internally, the Basel Institute’s team is multidisciplinary, open to change and committed to bridging practice and academic insight. Bridging differences for sustainability Working at the Basel Institute on Governance is truly a privilege. Our Lima office has gained remarkable regional recognition thanks to a distinctive approach: practical, rigorous and focused on building strong relationships with key actors in the fight against corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing. I currently lead the Subnational PFM Programme’s Interinstitutional Coordination, ensuring the programme’s effectiveness and, above all, the sustainability of reforms at subnational levels, in alignment with national efforts. This work requires the continuous reconciliation of the different “languages”, worldviews and objectives of people across Peru’s diverse regions. Our aim is to craft strategies and messages that resonate equally to ministries, regional governments and municipalities – aligning technical agendas with political ones, and engaging civil society and academia along the way. This challenge becomes more manageable because of my background: I come from an ancient town in northern Peru, Monsefú. Being perceived as someone close yet trained in competitive academic and professional environments fosters trust and legitimacy. From economics to a global mission As a child, leaving my town felt impossible. Universities were located in other regions and the educational options available largely led to local career paths tied to a modest economy with little real opportunities. At that time, the country had not yet experienced the trade openness or business development it has today. Through hard work and the trust of people who believed in me, however, I earned scholarships that allowed me to study in highly competitive environments in Peru’s capital, Lima, more than 1,000 kilometres away from my hometown. My foundations were solid: I completed my undergraduate studies in economics and later specialised through the Central Bank’s Economics Programme, which admits only 30 candidates out of thousands of applicants, as well as through an internship at the World Bank in Korea. I worked as an economist at institutions such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, the Andean Community CAN and the Inter-American Development Bank IDB . At that time, my professional life felt complete: it combined specialised technical work with teaching and active participation in international networks. These included the Andrés Bello Agreement Network, which brought together university researchers from multiple countries to reflect on and advance regional integration in Ibero-America, as well as the Puentes Network, which focused on promoting transparency in investment by Latin American companies. But everything changed when I fully grasped the scope of the challenges posed by global corruption. I never imagined my economics degree would only be the starting point of a much bigger journey. From that moment on, my purpose became clear: to dedicate all my experience to strengthening this fight against forces that hinder global prosperity. Innovating with little budget In Latin America, the Basel Institute is known for results-oriented innovation. I have witnessed firsthand how every new skill quickly finds a practical application and how we can make significant contributions without the need for additional funding. For example, I could draw on my Master’s degrees in Process Innovation and Government Control, and in Public Management and Education Andragogy to enrich various initiatives we pursued, such as: supporting regional governments in implementing structural reforms in significantly shorter timeframes; strengthening Peru’s Public Finance Management Experts Network, which was recognised during Peru’s National Innovation Week; and reducing dropout rates and increasing course completion in our Internal Control and Integrity courses through, among other things, the introduction of “virtual coffee breaks”. During the pandemic, we leveraged my background in education to enhance our online learning and training approach and results. For example, we started to deliver courses and training across the country via Facebook, a platform that at the time did not charge for mobile data usage and allowed public officials to participate even using low-end mobile phones. These courses have since been integrated into Basel LEARN – the Basel Institute’s online training and learning hub. Together, these efforts enabled us to develop courses that reached more than 6,000 participants in five years – all without additional funding. It’s all about people My work has focused on ensuring the sustainability of tangible improvements to public finance management that the PFM Programme’s experts helped implement in areas as varied as: distribution of vaccines and educational materials for children; property tax collection in major cities; restitution of confiscated funds; and the fight against “green corruption”. In this context, the most valuable asset is our network. I have more than 20,000 contacts on my business phone – all professionals who directly or indirectly contribute to the Programme’s goals, and above all, friends committed to building a better Peru. This network generates mutual benefits: it enables the rapid dissemination of good practices, drastically reduces event preparation costs we secure many venues at zero cost and ensures massive impact. Colleagues across the Basel Institute are a vital part of this network. Our close collaboration has led me to take part in a wide range of diverse and fascinating projects – from serving as a director and writer for several programme-produced videos, to moderating international events on asset recovery, and exchanging methodologies used in public finance management that can be applied to asset recovery and repatriation. The foundation that inspires and sustains hope The Peruvian context presents unique challenges. There is high political volatility, evidenced by the fact that there have been eight presidents in the past 10 years despite only two presidential elections in that period. This means that “VUCA” volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity and the notion of “chaos” are part of daily life. Yet, beneath this instability lies a “subsoil” of ethically committed public officials and technical professionals who allow progress to continue. They are my daily source of inspiration. As I often say: There are more good people than bad – they just make less noise. This reflects a reality: the visible efforts of honest Peruvians provide a stronger foundation than the corruption cases that shake us, even if public perception sometimes suggests otherwise. In sum, I am deeply grateful for the privilege of engaging with my country and its challenges through work that strengthens public integrity and the fight against corruption. Thank you, Basel Institute – and its magnificent team around the globe – for allowing me to continue serving the world, and especially my country. Inspired? Take a look at the learning opportunities we offer at the Basel Institute for individuals who are equally passionate about fighting corruption and financial crime: Basel LEARN – our online training and learning hub with free eLearning courses and lots more Basel STUDY – our postgraduate programmes on anti-corruption and asset recovery with the University of Basel

Political economy in the weeds: Embracing complexity in anti-corruption work – lessons learned from an anti-corruption programme in Malawi