What is PSALM and what does it include?

The Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM) is a comprehensive professional learning path designed for banking professionals who want to master modern Assets & Liabilities Management. It combines Bearning's expert e-learning courses, practical case studies, banking simulations and real-life webinars into one structured programme, culminating in the PSALM Certificate.

  • Learning Path

    Study through a carefully selected collection of professional courses covering ALM, Funds Transfer Pricing (FTP), Liquidity Risk Management, IRRBB, Treasury, Market Risk and Banking Regulation. Together, they provide a comprehensive view of modern bank balance sheet management.

  • Practical Experience

    Gain hands-on experience through expert e-learning courses, full webinar recordings, real-life case studies, Excel-based banking simulations (SimBa & ALM_IRLQ), hundreds of quiz questions with explanations, expert articles and selected regulatory materials.

  • Professional Certification

    Complete the learning path, pass the final examination and earn the Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM) Certificate, demonstrating your knowledge of one of the most important disciplines in modern banking. Enjoy lifetime access to PSALM together with future programme updates, new expert articles and additional webinar recordings.

  • ALCO
  • FTP

PSALM at a Glance

  • 50+

    Hours of Professional Learning

  • Lifetime

    Access & Updates

  • Professional

    ALM Certificate

Who is PSALM designed for?

Banking professionals who want to build practical expertise in modern Assets & Liabilities Management.

  • ALM & Treasury professionals responsible for balance sheet management, funding, liquidity, interest rate risk, funds transfer pricing (FTP) and ALCO support, who want to deepen their expertise in modern Assets & Liabilities Management.

  • Bank Managers & Decision Makers: Department heads, ALCO members, senior managers and executives who need a comprehensive understanding of how ALM supports strategic decision-making, profitability, risk management and regulatory compliance.

  • Risk managers, finance specialists and controllers seeking a practical understanding of IRRBB, Liquidity Risk, FTP, profitability management and regulatory requirements, and how these disciplines interact in modern banking.

  • Professionals preparing for a career in ALM, Treasury, Liquidity Risk, Finance or Risk Management, as well as anyone wishing to obtain a structured and practical education in modern bank balance sheet management.

Learning Outcomes

What will you achieve?

Upon successful completion of the Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM), you will have a comprehensive understanding of modern Assets & Liabilities Management and its role in managing a bank's balance sheet, profitability and financial risks. You will be able to apply Funds Transfer Pricing (FTP) principles, understand the management of liquidity risk and interest rate risk in the banking book (IRRBB), and interpret key regulatory concepts including LCR, NSFR and ILAAP. You will learn how these disciplines interact to support strategic decision-making within ALCO and contribute to effective balance sheet management. The programme also provides practical experience through Excel-based banking simulations, enabling you to better understand customer behaviour modelling, internal pricing, profitability analysis and quantitative ALM planning. By combining Treasury, Risk Management, Finance and Regulation into one structured learning path, PSALM prepares you to make informed decisions in today's banking environment.

What is included

Bearning PSALM includes

  • Several Bearning e-learning courses

  • Recordings of selected ALM webinars

  • Hundreds of expert quiz questions

  • Live case studies on Quantitative ALM Management and Intraday Liquidity Management

  • Bearning SimBa and ALM_IRLQ Excel models

  • Expert articles and regulatory documentation

  • Final certification and PSALM certificate

  • Lifetime access and future updates

  • FTP
  • ALCO

PSALM Professional Learning Path

Your Journey to ALM Expertise

The Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM) brings together Bearning's expert e-learning courses, practical banking simulations, professional articles, regulatory resources, real-life webinar recordings and final certification into one comprehensive professional learning path.


1. Foundations of Modern Bank Management

  • How commercial banks create value and generate structural profitability
  • Balance sheet structure and the banking business model
  • Relationship between Treasury, Finance, Risk Management, Business and ALCO
  • Introduction to Assets & Liabilities Management
  • Excel simulation: SimBa – simulated bank profitability, FTP and structural income

2. Assets & Liabilities Management (ALM)

  • Role of ALM in strategic bank management
  • Balance sheet optimisation and profitability management
  • Liquidity, Interest Rate Risk and Capital perspectives
  • ALCO governance and decision-making
  • Banking case studies and practical examples

3. Funds Transfer Pricing (FTP)

  • FTP principles, methodologies and managerial benefits
  • Single Pool, Multiple Pool and Matched Maturity approaches
  • Liquidity premiums, behavioural assumptions and FTP adjustments
  • Business unit profitability and internal performance measurement
  • Strategic pricing and balance sheet optimisation

4. Liquidity Risk Management

  • Funding, market, structural and intraday liquidity risk
  • LCR, NSFR, ILAAP and liquidity stress testing
  • Contractual and behavioural liquidity gaps
  • Liquidity costs and their integration into FTP
  • Real-life intraday liquidity management case study

5. Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book (IRRBB)

  • NII and Economic Value approaches
  • Behavioural modelling of non-maturing deposits
  • Replication portfolios and interest rate risk mapping
  • Regulatory IRRBB framework and supervisory expectations
  • Excel simulation: ALM_IRLQ – NMD modelling and behavioural FTP

6. Treasury, Financial Markets & Market Risk

  • Money Market and Fixed Income instruments
  • Interest Rate Risk measurement methods
  • Market Risk and Trading Risk management
  • Financial derivatives used in ALM and Treasury
  • Practical market case studies

7. Quantitative Planning & Strategic ALM

  • Strategic balance sheet planning
  • Scenario analysis and stress testing
  • Budgeting, forecasting and quantitative planning
  • Quantitative ALM management
  • Live quantitative planning case study

8. Knowledge Library & Regulatory Reading

  • Expert articles written by Bearning specialists
  • Selected ECB, EBA, BIS and Basel publications
  • Professional commentary on current regulatory developments
  • Recommended reading for deeper ALM expertise

9. Masterclass Webinar Recordings

  • Full recordings of selected Bearning ALM webinars
  • Quantitative ALM Management
  • Intraday Liquidity Management
  • Additional masterclasses added as the programme evolves

10. PSALM Final Certification

  • Comprehensive final examination
  • Assessment of practical ALM knowledge
  • Bearning Professional School of ALM Certificate
  • Recognition of your professional expertise in modern ALM

Instructor(s)

CEO, Bearning Martin Macko

Martin started his career in banking in 1994 as an MM&FX Treasury trader. Later he was appointed Treasury Director and Chairman of ALCO at a subsidiary of an international banking group. In 2007, Martin founded a consulting company. Later, Bearning expanded its activities to include professional banking education in the areas of ALM & Treasury, financial markets, risk management, fintech and digitalization. Martin holds several degrees and qualifications: Ing. (equivalent to M.Sc.) from the Slovak Technical University, ACI Dipl. (ACI Dipl.) from the Financial Markets Association, Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)® and Certified Banking & Credit Analyst (CBCA)™ and Capital Markets & Securities Analyst (CMSA)® from the Corporate Finance Institute.

Founder of QuantALM Michal Lopušan

Michal graduated from Comenius University in 2005 with a degree in economics and financial mathematics. Since graduation he has worked for an international banking group in Central Europe as an ALM analyst. In 2009 Michal co-founded QuantALM - Quantitative Asset Liability Management team that developed the QuantPlan tool - a strategy and scenario based modelling system that banks can use to plan and manage their balance sheets. In addition, Michal broadened his education and is a CFA charterholder.

Intraday Liquidity Expert Nick Applebee

Nick started his career in liquidity at Euroclear UK & Ireland, where he spent several years in operational and service management roles within financial market infrastructure. He later joined Barclays, where he held a number of senior positions in Product, Treasury and Liquidity Management, including EMEA Head of Intraday Liquidity Management within Treasury Operations. Subsequently, at Nomura International, Nick served as EMEA Head of Cash and Intraday Liquidity Management and later Head of Inventory Management, with responsibility for liquidity oversight, financing and intraday risk control across the region. Since 2020, Nick has been working as a Principal Consultant and Solutions SME at Planixs, supporting global banks in strengthening intraday liquidity management frameworks, improving real-time cash visibility and enhancing governance and control over payment flows.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Everything you need to know about the Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM), its certification process and learning experience.

  • What makes PSALM different from other banking courses?

    Unlike traditional online courses that focus on individual banking topics, PSALM provides a comprehensive and integrated view of modern Assets & Liabilities Management. The programme combines ALM, Treasury, Funds Transfer Pricing, Liquidity Risk, Interest Rate Risk, Market Risk and Banking Regulation into one professional learning path. PSALM has been developed by experienced banking practitioners who have managed Treasury, ALCO, Risk Management and strategic balance sheet management in commercial banks. Throughout the programme, you will work with practical case studies, real banking examples and professional Excel models, helping you understand not only the theory but also how modern ALM is applied in practice.

  • Do I need previous ALM experience?

    Not necessarily. However, participants should already have a basic understanding of how commercial banks operate. PSALM is designed for banking professionals who wish to build or deepen their expertise in Assets & Liabilities Management. While previous experience in ALM is not required, familiarity with banking products, financial statements and basic banking terminology will help you get the most from the programme.

  • How much time should I plan for completing PSALM?

    PSALM is a comprehensive professional education programme rather than a short online course. Most participants complete the programme over several months, depending on their available study time. Since all materials are available online with lifetime access, you can progress entirely at your own pace and fit your studies around your professional commitments.

  • How does the PSALM Certification work?

    The PSALM Certificate is awarded after successfully completing all required learning activities, passing the Online Final Knowledge Test and obtaining instructor approval for the Practical ALM Assignment. The final certification score is based on a weighted evaluation of programme completion, the online test and the practical assignment, with an overall score of at least 70% required to earn the certificate.

  • Can I repeat the final test if I do not achieve the required score?

    Yes. The Online Final Knowledge Test may be repeated as many times as necessary. Each attempt is automatically generated from a large question pool, meaning that the questions and their order will vary from one attempt to another. Your highest achieved score will be used for the final certification.

  • What happens if my practical assignment is not approved?

    The purpose of the assignment is to help you apply the concepts learned throughout PSALM to a realistic banking case study. If improvements are required, your instructor will provide professional feedback and you may revise and resubmit your assignment without limitation until it satisfies the certification requirements.

  • Will my PSALM certificate expire?

    No. The PSALM Certificate confirms that you successfully completed the programme and met all certification requirements at the time of assessment. Although the certificate does not expire, banking regulation and market practices continue to evolve. For this reason, PSALM is regularly updated with new learning materials, allowing graduates to continue developing their expertise over time.

  • Will I receive certificates for the individual courses as well?

    Yes. Most professional courses included in the Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM) award their own Bearning Course Certificate upon successful completion of the course requirements. After completing the entire learning programme and fulfilling all certification requirements, you will also receive the Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM) Certificate, recognising your comprehensive professional competence in modern Assets & Liabilities Management.

  • Is PSALM suitable for corporate learning?

    Yes. PSALM has been designed not only for individual professionals but also for Treasury, ALM, Risk Management, Finance and Controlling teams. Banks, professional associations or institutions can use the programme as a structured learning path for employee development, onboarding of new specialists or continuous professional education.

Advance Your Banking Career

Professional knowledge that supports your future.

Modern banking increasingly requires professionals who understand the entire balance sheet rather than individual business areas. Treasury, Finance, Risk Management and ALCO functions are becoming more interconnected, creating growing demand for specialists who can combine profitability, liquidity, interest rate risk and regulatory perspectives. The Bearning Professional School of ALM (PSALM) has been developed to help you build exactly these competencies. Through comprehensive professional education, practical banking simulations, real-life case studies and professional certification, PSALM enables you to strengthen your expertise and prepare for broader responsibilities in modern banking. Whether you are looking to specialise in ALM or Treasury, deepen your existing knowledge, or prepare for your next professional challenge, PSALM provides a structured learning path that supports your long-term professional development.
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PSALM - Advance Your Career