Chennai-based Polaris Software and ICICI Bank-backed Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) today announced the launch of a three-year PG diploma programme in financial technology.According to a release issued by Polaris to the BSE today, the diploma will offer modules in banking and finance, system architecture, industry trends and practices, use of IT in operations, project and change management and special topics.IFMR, sponsored by ICICI Bank and the House of Kotharis, is a recognised centre for advanced training programmes by the central government, Commonwealth Secretariat, World Bank, Ford Foundation, USAID and International Institute of Education, Washington DC.Arun Jain, CMD of Polaris, said: 'Business schools typically focus either on finance or on technologies to create customer value. This initiative fills a gap by addressing the issue of how technologies can best drive optimisation in the financial world.""The first batch of the course is scheduled to start in July/ August 2005. The admission process will be announced shortly through advertisements in the media and on the IFMR website (www.ifmr.ac.in)," the release added.