The Amsterdam Business School (ABS) has been named a Program Partner by CFA Institute, the global association for investment professionals that awards the prestigious CFA designation. ABS is recognized as having one of the strongest finance faculties in Europe as well as a firmly established degree programme in its Master of International Finance. This new partnership will enable students to study an academic and professional qualification simultaneously. The partnership will also foster integration of investment practice and academic theory through the mutual exchange of information, research and events.

CFA Program Partnerships are awarded to a select number of institutions and used to recognise finance degree programmes that are academically rigorous and closely aligned to the CFA Program® curriculum. The Master of International Finance (MIF) of the ABS covers at least 70% of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (levels 1-3), including ethical and professional standards. The MIF is an established programme running since 1996 and it draws on the recognised centre of excellence in finance at the ABS. The course is open to full-time and part-time students, and is international in its faculty, student body and approach to finance.
MIF director Jeroen Ligterinks says: "We are very pleased to become a CFA Program Partner. It is a clear signal to students and employers that our MIF programme is not only academically cutting edge but at the same time professionally relevant and a good basis for careers in the investment industry. We are looking forward to further intensify our relationship with the investment community in the Netherlands through the CFA Netherlands Society and abroad through CFA Institute."

With the partnership CFA Institute recognises the ABS as one of a limited number of globally diverse, select institutions that serves as a role model to other institutions and is a leader in its field. On 24 June, 2008 CFA Institute and the ABS signed the CFA Program Partnership during an event hosted by the CFA Society of The Netherlands looking at the "Threats and Opportunities facing Pension Funds." During that event Ludovic Phalippou of the ABS finance group gave a presentation titled: "Beware when Venturing into Private Equity." The event took place in the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam and saw global launch of the CFA Institute Centre for Financial Market Integrity Code of Conduct for Members of a Pension Scheme Governing Body.

CFA Institute

CFA Institute is the global association for investment professionals. 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 more than 95,500 members, who include the world's 82,400 CFA charterholders, in 133 countries and territories, as well as 135 affiliated professional societies in 56 countries and territories. More information may be found at www.cfainstitute.org.

The CFA Program®

The CFA Program® sets a globally recognised standard for developing the skills and standards, competence and integrity of financial analysts, portfolio managers and investment advisers worldwide. It is widely considered the investment profession's most rigorous credentialing program and has been referred to as a "gold standard" by The Economist and Financial Times. Administered in English, the CFA curriculum and examinations are identical worldwide.

CFA Society of the Netherlands

CFA Society of the Netherlands is a not-for-profit organisation and was initially formed as The Netherlands Society of Investment Professionals (NSIP) on 25 May 1999 by seven Chartered Financial Analyst charterholders. NSIP changed its name to CFA Society of The Netherlands on 6 December 2006. All members of CFA Institute are also by default member of a local member society. CFA Netherlands is that local member society that serves the Dutch community. It currently has 461 members. For more information visit www.cfanetherlands.nl.