CFA Institute and Toronto CFA Society Launch Revised Global Framework for
Investment Professional Education

The Global Body of Investment Knowledge (GBIK) is a comprehensive outline for investment industry continuing education and lifelong learning

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, and TORONTO, April 8 /CNW/ - This morning CFA Institute and Toronto CFA Society will open the market at Toronto Stock Exchange to celebrate the launch of the updated CFA Institute Global Body of Investment Knowledge (GBIK). The GBIK is the comprehensive outline of knowledge for the investment profession and is used by CFA Institute and its member societies to guide those in the global finance industry - novice through expert, generalist through specialist - in meeting their continuing education needs. (Read more.)

The GBIK includes mainstream and frontier concepts based on research that has been, or is still being debated and may encompass views well outside the mainstream. It serves as a guide to all CFA Institute lifelong learning activities including publications, conferences, Webcasts, etc., and is the benchmark for the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, which represents the core knowledge, skills, and abilities required for CFA candidates. CFA Institute also uses the GBIK to develop specialty bodies of knowledge for its members practicing in specialty areas such as private wealth management and investment performance measurement. By design, the GBIK is a "living document" that will continually be revised to reflect an ever-changing financial market.

"The Global Body of Investment Knowledge is unique because it is based on investment professionals' practical lifelong learning needs rather than theory," said Tom Robinson, CFA, managing director of education at CFA Institute. "It was developed by investment practitioners for investment practitioners and will be continuously revised to ensure CFA Institute education content applies to the real world. The GBIK is one of the most comprehensive education frameworks available and will serve as a roadmap for the development of our educational products for many years to come."

"Toronto CFA Society is committed to providing investment professionals with access to relevant, market-based educational resources and we are pleased to partner with CFA Institute in launching the GBIK," said Peter S. Jarvis, CFA, Toronto CFA Society's executive director. "The GBIK gives the Toronto Society a benchmark for delivering practical, globally relevant programs that allow investors to stay abreast of trends, research, and forward-looking concepts."

In addition to opening the market at Toronto Stock Exchange, CFA Institute and Toronto CFA Society will host an educational seminar for journalists on how to read public company financial statements and identify financial accounting red flags, as well as a luncheon program, titled "The Financial Crisis: Impact on Theory and Practice," featuring Ralph R. Layman, CFA, president and chief investment officer of Public Equities, GE Asset Management; Andrew Abouchar, CFA, founder and partner of Tech Capital Partners and member of the CFA Institute Education Advisory Committee; and Tom Robinson, CFA, managing director of Education for CFA Institute. The luncheon speakers will examine expert practitioner reactions to the global financial crisis and the evolution of our knowledge base by addressing:

    
    -  The impact of the crisis on markets and money management, and where do
       we go from here?
    -  The current relevance of the efficient markets hypothesis and the
       capital asset pricing model.
    -  New ideas generated as a result of the crisis and how will these new
       ideas enter the body of investment knowledge.
    -  How the GBIK is determined, used and has been impacted by the recent
       crisis.
    

(Contact Kathy Valentine or Alison Ford for more information about these events.)

About CFA Institute

CFA Institute is the global association for the investment profession. It administers the CFA and CIPM curriculum and exam programs worldwide; publishes research; conducts professional development programs; and sets voluntary, ethics-based professional and performance-reporting standards for the investment industry. CFA Institute has nearly 100,000 members, who include the world's more than 87,000 CFA charterholders, in 134 countries and territories, as well as 137 affiliated professional societies in 58 countries and territories. More information may be found at www.cfainstitute.org.

About Toronto CFA Society

Toronto CFA Society is a not-for-profit organization supporting professional development and advancement of CFA charterholders. The society provides member services including educational programs, sponsored events, job postings and networking opportunities. Founded in 1936, the society is affiliated with CFA Institute, the global body that administers the Chartered Financial Analyst curriculum and sets voluntary, ethics-based performance-reporting standards for the investment industry. With more than 7,000 members, Toronto CFA Society is the second largest in the world, after New York. For more information, please refer to www.torontocfa.ca

For further information: Media Contacts: Kathy Valentine, CFA Institute, T: [phone], [email protected]; Sara Maginn-Pacella, Toronto CFA Society, t: [phone] x 225, [email protected]