Leader in alternative investment education adds new content focused on liquid alternatives, structured products, and more; Rapid growth of and access to alternatives reflected in materials with global reach and applicability
AMHERST, MASS. (September 21, 2015) – The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, the global leader in alternative investment education, has made significant revisions to its Level I curriculum text in preparation for the organization’s 2016 exam cycle, it was announced today.
Changes to the Alternative Investments: CAIA Level I, Third Edition, published by Wiley, include a major focus on the rapidly growing liquid alternatives category, a deeper dive into natural resources as part of the section on real assets, and a new chapter incorporating developments in structured products and fixed income. The updated text will be available for order on September 21, 2015.
“While academic rigor will always be a sacred part of our offering, it is essential that we listen to, understand, and incorporate the thinking of the leading minds in the global alternative investment space,” said William J. Kelly, CEO of CAIA. “We are proud that our latest text continues to follow this credo and we remain very fortunate and thankful to a global village of practitioners who truly believe in the importance of education and professionalism within our industry.”
“The CAIA Charter has become the gold standard for alternative investment industry education,” said Keith Black, Ph.D., CAIA, and CAIA’s Managing Director of Curriculum and Exams and an author of the new curriculum. “In recent years, the number of investment strategies that fall under the banner of ‘alternatives’ has exploded, making it important that we stay ahead of the curve in keeping our Members, candidates, the industry, and academics apprised of new developments.”
Also new to this edition, chapters will include specific numerical examples and will end with 10 review questions that will allow Candidates to test their knowledge. Answers will be available on the CAIA website, www.caia.org, itself an important resource for professionals in the alternative investment industry.
“In updating our curriculum, CAIA had the great luxury of being able to call on some of the brightest minds in academia as well practitioners who are at the very top of their respective alternative investment fields,” said Kelly. “CAIA Members and ‘friends of CAIA’ from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and beyond all played integral roles in helping us shape these updates with our global Membership, and the next generation of Members, in mind.”
As part of this revision, additional ancillary materials will be published for college and university professors who wish to integrate the curriculum into their finance departments and classes. “We have already forged more than 30 academic partnerships with leading universities around the globe,” continued Kelly. “We are very excited to begin with others to bring these important lessons to their students.”
The CAIA Association offers the only credential focused on the alternative investment space and has become the global benchmark for alternative investment education. The CAIA Charter, an educational designation uniquely designed for individuals specializing in institutional-quality alternative investments, is granted upon successful completion of two levels of qualifying exams combined with relevant professional experience and joining the Association Membership.
CAIA supports 22 global Chapters in financial centers around the world, including recently launched Chapters in Cayman Islands, China, Australia and Texas, as well as in the form of a Virtual Chapter, that brings together Members from far-flung locations in more than 60 countries. CAIA sponsors more than 120 educational and networking events for its 7,700 Members each year.
About the CAIA Association
The CAIA Association is the world leader in alternative investment education, offering the only education program uniquely designed for individuals specializing in institutional-quality alternative investments. The Association is best known for the CAIA Charter, an internationally-recognized credential granted upon successful completion of a rigorous two-level exam series, combined with relevant work experience. Earning the CAIA Charter is the gateway to becoming a Member of the CAIA Association, a global network of more than 7,700 alternative investment professionals located in more than 80 countries. CAIA also offers the Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate Program (”Fundamentals”), an introductory-level online course, designed to provide a foundation in the core concepts in alternative investing. This program represents a natural extension of CAIA’s mission to provide solutions to specific market needs for alternative investment education.
To learn more about the CAIA Association, contact Deborah McLean (413) 253-7373 or mailto:dmclean@caia.org. For more information on the CAIA Charter, please visit caia.org.
About Wiley
Wiley is a global provider of knowledge and knowledge-enabled services that improve outcomes in areas of research, professional practice, and education. Through the Research segment, the Company provides digital and print scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising. The Professional Development segment provides digital and print books, online assessment and corporate learning services, and test prep and certification. In Education, Wiley provides education solutions including online program management services for higher education institutions and course management tools for instructors and students, as well as print and digital content.
Copies of the new CAIA LI curriculum are available to reporters for review via Wiley. Please contact Melissa Connors at mconnors@wiley.com / 201-748-6834 to request a review copy. For more information about Wiley, visit www.wiley.com.
