Why Engage With Universities?
We partner with universities around the globe to:
- Build competitive, practice-based education programs
- Support efforts to identify, recruit, and grow top teaching talent
- Provide students with knowledge, tools, and resources that lead to career opportunities
Strengthening Educational Excellence
Click to learn how CFA Institute and Societies can partner with universities to build a better investment management profession:
Benefits of Engaging Universities
- Build brand locally among students, universities, and faculty
- Establish relationships with key university alumni and industry thought leaders
- Partner with universities to create globally competitive, practice-based education programs benefitting graduates, the university, employers, and ultimately, the industry
- Nurture students and candidates toward greater success becoming charterholders
- Drive demand for candidates for internships and career opportunities with universities
- Build society awareness and engagement with candidates, charterholders, and industry
What Challenges Do Universities Face?
Most universities face three common core challenges:
01: Talent
Attracting, developing, and retaining professors who are thought leaders in their fields to build competitive, well-respected academic programs.
02: Performance
Building competitive education programs that gain standing among highly performing, top-rated universities.
03: Career Preparation
Adequately preparing students through academic programs, mentorship, internships, and events to launch successful careers.
What Do We Offer Universities?
CFA Institute and CFA Societies meet these common challenges with our benefit-driven offerings. Universities can increase their competitive advantage by pursuing opportunities with CFA Institute in these three areas:
01: Talent
Attract, Develop, and Retain Talent
CFA Institute and societies provide distinguished pathways for growth and exposure, including world-class events and publications for professors to showcase their academic research and perspectives.
02: Performance
Build Positive and Competitive Performance
We help universities create globally competitive, practice-based education programs that produce highly employable graduates and help them build strong academic standing among top-rated universities.
03: Career Preparation
Enhance and Support Career Preparation
Through alignment with CFA Institute, students gain exposure to the knowledge, tools, and resources that are vital to launch successful careers. Plus, our local societies give students the chance to participate in mentorships, networking events, and internships that can lead to employment and valuable education outside the classroom.
Find out more about our Career Planning for Students page on the CFA Institute Career Center, which uses our global network to share knowledge of careers in finance and investment to help students bridge the gap between university and the world of work.
University Engagement: Every Society Can Participate
Start with the common activities all societies can undertake, then progress as appropriate for your society’s size, resources, and market.
Understand Your Market
Smaller societies or those with limited resources (Level 1) can strategically target select university partners and focus on a few engagement activities. Societies in medium to larger markets or those with more resources (Level 2 and 3) can widen the scope of university partnerships and deepen the level of engagement activities.
ACTIVITIES ALL SOCIETIES CAN UNDERTAKE
Society Resources
Access funding, guidance, support, and a wealth of information, tools, and learning resources to support your outreach efforts to candidates. Use your society’s communication channels to keep candidates updated, and find relevant social content on Connexions to keep them engaged.
Society Brand Activation
Every society can access funding, support, and services to increase brand awareness among candidates, potential candidates, students, and all other audiences in your local market through Society Brand Activation.
Research Challenge
All societies can involve local universities in Research Challenge events. From attending and participating to sponsoring or mentoring, there are plenty of opportunities for engagement.
Education
Engage with local universities to educate them about the CFA® Program, CIPM® Program, and CFA Institute Investment Foundations® Program and benefits of each.
Get started
We encourage you to connect with your Society Relations Manager to begin outreach in your local market. Here's how to get started.