www.pwc.com/me Helping shape your future Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) PwC s Academy 2014
Contents About PwC s Academy 1. About PwC s Academy 2 2. About the CFA 4 3. Getting qualified 5 4. Our CFA training programme 6 5. Schedule and Fees 6 6. Why choose PwC s Academy 7 7. What our students say 8 8. Lecturer profiles 9 9. Contact Us 11 PwC s Academy is the educational business of PwC. Our goal is to help improve the knowledge, skills, competence and expertise of our people in finance and business; to help organisations across the region grow and retain their talent. Our foundation is our team of expert professionals who convey their wealth of knowledge and the practical experience they have gained within leading organisations around the world. PwC s Academy is committed to supporting the sustainable growth of local talent across the region. Our expanding Academy currently operates across the Middle East from six countries: UAE, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. PwC s Academies in the Middle East are part of a growing network of Academies present in over 30 countries worldwide. We offer a variety of training courses covering financial competencies, management skills and professional qualifications. Our courses are based on the best practices of PwC Global and the individual experiences of our experts. We constantly adapt our courses to meet the needs of modern business, customising them to our client s requirements and assisting our clients in reaching their organisational training and strategic objectives. PwC s Academy s global network of professionals sets us apart from other providers. We communicate constantly, exchange best practice, ideas and experience. We take this knowledge and evolve our courses to meet the ever changing needs of modern businesses and their people in the region; this way we make sure that we are providing the very best training programmes for our clients, our students and their sponsors. 2 Chartered Financial Analyst
Management Skills IFRS International Professional Qualifications Our capabilities at a glance Finance and Accounting Risk Management and Internal Audit PwC s Mini MBA Board Training and Corporate Governance Project Management Fraud and Forensic PwC s Academy 3
About the CFA The CFA charter is an investment credential that, for more than 60 years, has been the global standard for embodying the integrity, dedication and advanced skills needed to build a stronger, more accountable financial industry. The CFA is the world s most highly respected and challenging credential in the finance industry. CFA charter holders are unique in that they have: Globally relevant knowledge Real world expertise Ethical grounding The ability to earn industry respect A global community Membership of the CFA institute The CFA designation is a mark of distinction that is globally recognised by employers as well as a host of other organisations including over 125 distinguished universities and colleges and regulatory bodies across the world. Earning the CFA charter demonstrates a mastery of the analytic and decision making skills needed in today s fast paced and competitive work environment. The CFA institute has over 100,000 members globally and is committed to promoting the highest level of ethics, knowledge and education of its members. Membership is mandatory for all CFA charter holders. 100,000 The CFA institute has over 100,000 members globally 4 Chartered Financial Analyst
Getting Qualified To become a CFA charter holder, you must meet the eligibility requirements which include passing three exams, Levels I, II and III, and accumulating 48 months of approved work experience. The CFA exams vary in their format and structure. Level Level I Level II Topics 240 multiple choice questions 20 item sets Level III Essay style questions and 10 item sets Each exam is 6 hours long Level I can be taken in June and December Levels II and III can only be taken in June The CFA Institute Board of Governors sets the minimum passing score for each level every year For more information about the CFA credential, please visit www.cfainstitute.org Minimum entry requirements To become a CFA charter holder, you must meet at least one of the following criteria: Hold a Bachelor s (or equivalent) degree Be in the final year of your Bachelor s degree programme, Have four years of qualified, professional work experience Have a combination of work and college experience that totals at least four years. (Note: summer, part-time, and internship positions do not qualify as work experience). How long does it take? How you study for your CFA exam is very flexible and you can progress at your own pace. Successful candidates take an average of four years to complete the programme. We recommend for each of the three exams, that you plan on at least six months of preparation to help you get the best results. PwC s Academy 5
Our CFA training programme Our CFA training programme prepares candidates for Levels I, II and III through a Comprehensive Preparation Series followed by an intensive Revision Boot Camp Programme. Comprehensive Preparation Series This is a series of lectures and is made up of over 100 hours of classroom learning using a range of methodologies. The lectures include: Comprehensive study materials A series of tests during the programme to monitor your progress Access to over 2000 questions in the form of practice modules, mock exams and a question bank Access to over 60 hours of lecture videos covering each of the core topics Up to 3 hours of one on one consulting with CFA charter holders to discuss exam requirements, clear doubts and ensure you are prepared One paper based mock exam A detailed session on exam strategies and tips Free BAII professional and examiner approved calculator Revision Boot Camp In addition to the comprehensive preparation series, PwC s Academy conducts a 5 day intensive revision boot camp programme. This includes: Over 45 hours of classroom based revision classes Provision of self study modules to use in addition to teaching material Access to over 75 exam questions to solve in class, have marked and receive feedback Study tips and techniques Schedule and Fees CFA Level Term Starts Revision Starts Duration ( including tuition and revision) Programme Level I Fees (AED) Level II Fees (AED) Level III (AED) I August/February November/May 150 hours II August/February November/May 150 hours Comprehensive Prep Series 9,750 11,000 12,000 Revision Boot Camp 4,000 6,000 6,000 III August/February November/May 150 hours Full course (20% discount included) 11,000 13,600 14,400 In addition early bird, group and corporate discounts may be available. 6 Chartered Financial Analyst
Why choose PwC s Academy Ensuring you pass At PwC s Academy our focus is to make sure you have all the knowledge and exam techniques you need to achieve your CFA Charter. Our core objective is to help you pass all three exam levels and our ability to do this is demonstrated by our exceptional pass rates. Our programmes are designed to help you understand every learning outcome statement included inthe CFA curriculum so that you get the maximum marks. We provide you with the very best course materials written especially for PwC students in addition to study texts, question banks and online resources. Our course materials are designed to help the learning process: graphic rich slides and exam style question banks complement our lecturers lively presentations. A progress test every few weeks ensures that you stay up to speed, in addition to a full mock exam after the revision course. Our lecturers At PwC s Academy, our foundation is our fantastic team of lecturers, all of whom are not only CFA charter holders but have extensive experience teaching CFA. All our lecturers are experts in the subjects they teach and understand the exam requirements so that they are able to help you get the best results. Our lecturers are always close by so you don t have to wait until class to ask questions and get your problems solved. Our premises Our new Academy premises provide you with a professional environment in which to study and interact with other students and our lecturers. Our Academy is equipped with state of the art facilities including: Free wireless in all classrooms and 8 desktop computers in the lounge area Library with a full range of reference books Pantry area with comfortable seating and free tea and coffee Lounge area in which to relax and chat to other students and lecturers Provision of a quiet study area 5 spacious classrooms We are a 5 minute walk from the Dubai Mall and a short journey to Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The Academy is also located on the metro line making us accessible no matter where you are coming from. Going the extra mile We want your time studying with us to be a positive and happy experience and so we provide a range of services that help you to get the most out of your time with us. Mentoring and guidance from the CFA course manager Programme advisors to help with registrations and to guide you throughout your studies Student counselling and career guidance Full time lecturers available to help and support you Internship and graduate recruitment opportunities at PwC Student events and activities organised by PwC s Academy Student visas for international students Scholarships for top performers Sessions on exam tips and strategies PwC s Academy 7
What our students say The CFA program has helped me extensively with my studies and kept me on track with my preparations for the exam. I m glad I chose PwC s Academy for my preparations and would highly recommend the program to all CFA candidates. The quality of the lectures was exceptional; the facilities provide an ideal environment for networking, studying and socialising. Highly recommended. Anup Premanandan, CFA Level II candidate Full time student The PwC Academy has been a very fruitful experience. The teachers helped me discipline my preparation and created an excellent environment to learn. I primarily used only the teaching material provided to prepare for the exam. Overall, I am extremely pleased with my experience and I would not have been able to clear Level 1 without the support of the faculty and excellent course material. I look forward to studying for my level II with PwC s Academy as well. Lakshmi Nataraj, CFA Level I candidate PwC Middle East I came to know about the CFA training programme through the Academy website. It was clear that PwC s Academy invests heavily in experienced lecturers. I am an ACCA and CFA student at PwC s Academy. Juggling both is a challenge as the CFA programme is extremely tough. However, having an experienced and understanding faculty has made my journey less challenging. The one on one sessions, access to learning material and videos have been really important to my learning process as well. I would recommend PwC s Academy to any one who really wants to get the most out of a professional financial qualification training institute. Arjun Agarwal, CFA Level I candidate 8 Chartered Financial Analyst
Course Manager and Lecturer Taimur Ali Mir CFA, ACCA Taimur is an accomplished lecturer for PwC s Academy in the UAE and has over 7 years training experience. He is the CFA course manager and a specialist trainer at all levels. Taimur has also been actively involved in developing, organising and delivering the content of customised financial training programmes for corporate clients in the areas of investment management, fixed income, equity valuation, economics, financial reporting and corporate reporting. Taimur has over 9 years commercial experience in investment management and advisory. During this time he was involved in training for distributors and investors. He is a CFA charter holder and an ACCA member. Prior to joining PwC, Taimur was a Fund Manager for KASB Funds Limited, an assets management company in Pakistan and local partners of BlackRock Inc. He assisted in the growth of assets under management by over 13 times in less than 2 years and managed to secure a 5 Star and AA+(f) rating from PACRA for KASB Liquidity Fund and KASB Cash Fund. KASB Liquidity Fund was rated top performing fund for financial years 2007 and 2008. KASB Islamic Fund has been rated the best performing fund in its category since inception. Taimur s engaging personality, excellent command over the curriculum and relevant industry experience make him connect really well with the audience. He has vast experience of breaking down tough exam topics into simple learning and has incorporated interesting teaching techniques in both his classes and tailor made training programmes which have reaped excellent results. PwC s Academy 9
Locations Syria 1 3 Lebanon Palestinian Territories 5 6 4 7 8 Jordan Iraq 9 2 10 Kuwait Libya Egypt 11 Saudi Arabia Bahrain 13 15 Qatar 14 17 16 18 19 U.A.E 20 12 Oman PwC Offices 1 Tripoli 6 Gaza 11 Riyadh 16 2 Cairo 7 Beirut 12 Jeddah 17 3 Alexandria 8 Amman 13 Dhahran 18 4 Ramallah 9 Erbil 14 Al Khobar 19 5 Jerusalem 10 Kuwait 15 Manama 20 Doha Sharjah Dubai Abu Dhabi Muscat Yemen 10 Chartered Financial Analyst
Contact details Amanda Line T: +971 (0) 4 304 3092 M: +971 (0) 50 189 1724 E: amanda.line@ae.pwc.com Taimur Ali Mir T:+971 (0) 4 3043 781 M:+ 971 (0) 50 189 3489 E: mir.taimur@ae.pwc.com Kavita Gaglani T:+971 (0) 4 304 3241 M: +971 (0) 55 195 0401 E:academyme@ae.pwc.com Facebook: facebook.com/pwcsacademymiddleeast LinkedIn: PwC s Academy Middle East Twitter: @PwCAcademy www.pwc.com/me PwC Academy 11
www.pwc.com/m1/en/theacademy/about pwc academy PwC UK helps organisations and individuals create the value they re looking for. We re a member of the PwC network of firms in 157 countries with more than 184,000 people committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at www.pwc.com/uk. This publication has been prepared for general guidance on matters of interest only, and does not constitute professional advice. You should not act upon the information contained in this publication without obtaining specific professional advice. No representation or warranty (express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication, and, to the extent permitted by law, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, its members, employees and agents do not accept or assume any liability, responsibility or duty of care for any consequences of you or anyone else acting, or refraining to act, in reliance on the information contained in this publication or for any decision based on it. 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. In this document, PwC refers to the UK member firm, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. Design Services 28369 (05/14).