CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, has today announced several changes to its CFA Program, probably the most significant since the exams were first administered in 1963.
CFA Program is one of the highest educational and professional distinctions in the investment management profession and the designation is held by 14,000 charterholders in the UK.
The UK is the largest global centre for asset management outside of the US and, in London alone, 33,400 people work in the sector. The changes to the CFA Program will support asset management professionals in developing new skills and help the UK’s £11 trillion asset management sector retain its competitive edge.
The changes are based off extensive feedback from employers, candidates, CFA members and societies. They include:
- The introduction of practical skills modules to ensure candidates are ‘desk-ready’ as they embark upon their careers. They will focus on real-world applications such as Financial Modelling, Python Programming Fundamentals, and AI.
- An improved digital badging strategy to reinforce the value of Level I and Level II achievements to candidates on their CFA Program journey.
- The creation of specialised pathways at Level III of the Program; candidates can now choose from Portfolio Management (the traditional pathway), Private Wealth, or Private Markets.
- Reducing the volume of study materials to ensure candidates spend the recommended 300 hours at each level – CFA Institute found that many were exceeding these limits.
