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CFA Institute announces benchmarking of Claritas Investment Certificate in the UK

21 May, 2014
London United Kingdom
UK NARIC recognises programme at Level 3 compared against the English Qualifications and Credit Framework

The Claritas Investment Certificate®, the latest educational offering from CFA Institute, has been benchmarked as comparable to post-secondary training or specialised secondary level education compared against the English Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) by the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC), the national agency responsible for providing information and expert opinion on qualifications and skills worldwide.

The Claritas programme provides a thorough understanding of how the investment industry works and represents a new international education and ethics standard across the financial services sector. It is accessible to a wide range of professionals working alongside investment decision makers in functions such as operations, administration, IT, HR, marketing, sales, compliance and customer service.

Abraham Harris, talent programme manager at BlackRock, commented: “This widely recognised benchmark will enable us to help our employees understand the level of complexity when considering qualifications offered by CFA Institute and also set expectations around the time commitment required in order for them to be successful. In addition, as we look to leverage our internal talent, having a strong understanding of how qualifications offered by CFA Institute are aligned with UK educational programmes is extremely valuable.”

The analysis by UK NARIC provides an independent benchmarking of the Claritas Investment Certificate against levels within the QCF. As an introductory level, knowledge-based qualification, the certificate compares broadly to post-secondary training or specialised secondary level of education in the qualification frameworks reviewed. To help illustrate this, under the QCF, a doctorate (PhD) sits at level eight and the school-leaver A-level qualification at level three. Against this framework, the recognition of the Claritas Investment Certificate completes NARIC’s full analysis of the CFA Institute portfolio of educational offerings as follows:

QUALIFICATION OR EXAM
1. Claritas Investment Certificate 
2. Certificate in Investment Performance Management (CIPM)
3. CFA Program  - level I
4. CFA Program – level II
5. CFA Program – level III
6. Investment Management Certificate  (IMC)[1], administered by the CFA Society of the UK

COMPARABLE QCF LEVEL AS RECOMMENDED BY UK NARIC 
1. Level 3
2. Level 6
3. Level 5
4. Level 6
5. Level 7
6. Accredited QCF Level 4

COMPARABLE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME 
1. Post-secondary education training or specialised secondary level education (e.g. ‘A’ Level)
2. Bachelor’s degree
3. Diploma of Higher Education
4. Bachelor’s degree
5. Master’s degree
6. Certificate of Higher Education, or the first year of a Bachelor's degree

Nitin Mehta, CFA, managing director for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region of CFA Institute, commented: “This benchmark will allow employers, practitioners, educational institutions, and regulators to better understand the benefits of each of our educational qualifications within the UK education system, and where the Claritas Investment Certificate comparably sits. As a unique offering, the Claritas Investment Certificate represents a new international education and ethics standard across the financial services sector.” 
CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow.

Media Contact

Nicole Haroutunian Director, Corporate Communications EMEA +44-0-20-7330-9551 [email protected]