No less than seven ICMA Centre BSc students have been awarded Achievement Prizes this year. The students were presented with their awards by the Vice Chancellor at a special ceremony in the Great Hall today.

These prizes of £1000 each are awarded each year to the top 150 students following Part 1 examinations, and the top 150 Part 2 students.

The Part 1 achievers are Shang Li, Pearly Su Ping Tan, Jordan Field, Feyisola Osinuga and Jacob Smith. The Part 2 achievers are Daniel Osborn and Philip Board.

Feyisola, aged 18 from Nigeria commented on the degree and her prize: “The degree is unique not only in its content and delivery but also in its challenges. It fully equips you with the theoretical knowledge and the practical skills required in Finance while requiring you to keep abreast of current financial affairs. The ICMA centre is closely linked with many different financial associations as well as institutions which means that you are actively involved in the Finance industry while still studying.

Winning the Achievement prize is an honour; the Achievement Prize is awarded to those in the top 5% of their year and I am truly pleased to be in this category.”

Jordan Field, aged 20 from Ilford said: “By achieving this award, I feel that my hard work has been recognised. This has given me confidence and motivation to carry on and fulfil my potential, and to continue working hard throughout the rest of my degree.”

Also, honoured at the Ceremony were three of the ICMA Centre’s first year BSc students who have been awarded a £2000 Entrance Scholarship each: Alexander Brown, Christina Teasdale and Myriam Tiec. These scholarships are awarded every year to BSc applicants who achieve 360 UCAS points (three A grades) from three A levels.

The ICMA Centre at Henley Business School, University of Reading is delighted to announce that students on seven of its Masters degrees will be granted the well regarded ICMA International Fixed Income and Derivatives (IFID) Certificate upon successful completion of their degree.

The ICMA Centre has enjoyed the support of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) since it was established in 1991. Students on the Centre’s world renowned MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking have had the opportunity to study the ICMA IFID Certificate programme alongside their degree for many years and now this is being extended to the other MSc degrees. The fact that ICMA will now be granting students who successfully pass their degree the Certificate reflects the recognition that the ICMA Centre’s Masters programmes content cover all of the syllabus of this professional qualification.

John Evans, Programme Director MSc Investment Management and Head of ICMA Executive Education commented: “I am extremely happy that the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) in the UK has authorised this granting of the IFID certificate.  Now our MSc graduates will not only leave the Centre with a first class academic degree but also with a professional accreditation that will help them start their career in the financial markets”.

The Certificate will be granted to all students who successfully complete their Masters degree including the module International Securities Markets. For full details on the programmes this is applicable to visit www.icmacentre.ac.uk/undergraduate_and_postgraduate_courses

Once again, the ICMA Centre celebrated the success of its students in style this year. Students graduated at the ceremony held on 28 June in the Great Hall at the University’s London Road Campus. Following the ceremony, students and their guests were invited back to the Centre for a champagne reception.

One exceptional student was awarded a special prize at the reception; Susan Ogunbumi, who graduated with a distinction in the MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking was presented with the ?Vetiva Prize’ by Dr Olaolu Mudasiru, Deputing Managing Director of Vetiva Capital Management.

The prize is awarded annually by Vetiva – an investment banking boutique in Nigeria – to the highest achieving African MSc student at the ICMA Centre. The prize includes an award of £1000, as well as the opportunity to work at Vetiva and other investment banking firms in Nigeria.

Dr. Mudasiru, himself a graduate of the ICMA Centre’s MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking said: “It is with great pride that we award Miss Ogunbunmi the Vetiva award for Best Graduating MSc African student of the ICMA Centre 2007/08. Considering that the ICMA Centre represents one of the finest learning institutions designed to equip its students for the challenges and peculiarities of Investment Banking in the real world. We did not have to look further to find the incubator for the best African mind we have envisioned”.

Dr Mudasiru went on to say that “We are pleased to announce that the Vetiva Prize has been increased from £500 to £1000 and we hope that this will prove our commitment to the intellectual potential we believe the ICMA Centre is capable of providing to the African continent”.

Two alumni of the ICMA Centre, University of Reading have showed their belief in the Centre and established the Solidus Securities SA Scholarship for Greek students.

This unique scholarship is open to all Greek applicants to any of the ICMA Centre’s eight Masters degrees who demonstrate strong academic ability. The scholarship includes 50% of tuition fees and the opportunity to undertake one to two months work experience at Solidus Securities SA in Athens, Greece.

The alumni Alex Sinos and Nick Kaltsogiannis both graduated from the ICMA Centre’s MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking in 1995. Alex co-founded Solidus Securities SA in 1999 and is now Managing Director. The firm is one of the leading privately owned Securities houses in the Greek capital market, with a clientele of more than 20,000 accounts. Nick is the firm’s Executive Director and is also a member of the International Capital Market Association’s Education Committee.

Nick commented: “Our aim in establishing this Scholarship was to enhance the bonds between Solidus Securities SA, the Greek financial and academic community and the ICMA Centre by giving Greek graduates the opportunity to become members of the ICMA Centre family, fulfilling their academic ability and making the start of a promising professional career.”

Professor Board, Director of the Centre said, “We are delighted with Alex and Nick’s success and their desire to help other Greek students benefit as they have done. This Scholarship bears testament to the belief that our alumni have in the ICMA Centre and we are fortunate for the great support we receive from our alumni.”

For criteria and further information regarding the scholarship please visit www.icmacentre.ac.uk/msc_scholarships

The ICMA Centre at the University of Reading has launched the UK’s first collaborative MSc in Investment Banking and Islamic Finance, to be taught jointly with INCEIF (International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance) in Kuala Lumpur.

The degree is responding to the growing interest in Islamic finance, and also the increase in Islamic banking services, investment and other financial services based on Islamic principles.

The MSc is the first in the UK to use Islamic material taught by Islamic specialists and aims to capture the increasing demand for the subject with an academic base and practical views on issues such as Islamic finance, economics and law.

Students will benefit from having the opportunity to spend three months studying in Kuala Lumpur alongside Islamic finance professionals. The MSc will not require any previous knowledge of Islamic law or concepts but will explain the current issues within their overall Islamic economic and legal context. Graduates will also receive a thorough understanding of Western banking practices allied to the principles of Islamic finance. They will then be well qualified to join specialist Islamic financial institutions, investment managers and finance divisions of multinational companies.

In addition, participants on the course will cover the materials necessary to qualify for the Certificate Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP). This certificate aims to give participants a better insight on world views and cross-cultural perspectives for a robust Islamic finance industry.

Professor John Board, Director of the ICMA Centre said: “This partnership brings together two institutions with great reputations for education focused on the financial markets. We are delighted to launch this programme in partnership with INCEIF. We are launching this MSc at a time of great interest in Islamic finance and we expect a considerable amount of interest in this degree.”

Agil Natt, President & Chief Executive Officer of INCEIF, said: “Our unique mission is to elevate and advance the practice of Islamic finance globally. We aim to do this by being the knowledge leader in Islamic finance not only from the religious aspect but also from the ethical perspective to everyone, from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai, Tokyo, London and the rest of the world, irrespective of faith and creed.”
For more information please visit https://www.icmacentre.ac.uk/ibif

PHOTO: The formal signing ceremony – Agil Natt,  President & CEO of INCEIF and Prof Gordon Marshall, Vice Chancellor of the University.

The University of Reading recently held a ?topping out’ ceremony to mark the structural completion of the new £6 million extension to its ICMA Centre.

The ICMA Centre has an international reputation for being the premier institution in Europe for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education tailored to the capital markets industry. Due to open this autumn, the extension will include a 50-seat flagship dealing room, complete with Reuters plasma screens and ticker tape, 170-seat lecture theatre, café bar, media centre, a dedicated PhD study area as well as seminar rooms and offices.

Guests at the ceremony, held on the extension’s roof, were key representatives from the University of Reading as well as Jerry Hayes, Project Manager for Costain Limited and Ian Thomas, Director for Gardiner & Theobald Management Services who are managing the build.

After the pouring of the final cement Brian Lawson, who sits on ICMA’s Executive Education Committee, said: “ICMA feels a great sense of pride regarding the Centre’s expansion as we move quickly towards completion of the new extension. The topping out transforms these ambitious plans into a tangible and exciting reality. Through the completion of the expanded ICMA Centre, and the University of Reading’s new links with Henley Business School, a pre-eminent centre of global excellence in financial study is being established”.

Professor John Board, Director of the University’s ICMA Centre said: “The wonderful new extension is going to be of great benefit to our students, providing further excellent facilities to equip them with the skills valued by the finance industry. Our current facilities already make us the best-equipped institution in Europe. These new facilities including an additional 50-seat dealing room will enable us to cater for the growing number of students enrolling with us each year.”

Two of the ICMA Centres high-performing BSc students have been awarded a prestigious investment banking prize by the Securities & Investment Institute.

Philip Board and Tamoor Ali, both won the Stephen Cooke Memorial Fund, which commemorates the late Stephen Cooke, former senior partner of stockbroking firm, Gerrard Vivian Gray.

The prize of £2000 is awarded to the highest performing second year BSc students, and is to encourage students to focus on high examination grades and to aquire a good understanding of the finance industry, as well as the personal attributes required for a career in the fast paced industry.

Tamoor and Philip, who both had to submit an essay to the board, as well as taking part in rigorous interviews in order to win the special award, were both delighted with their achievements.

Tamoor aged 26, said:  “I consider myself very fortunate to have received this award given the calibre of the competitors. It was a great experience, which provided an invaluable insight into the world of finance. I believe the BSc at the ICMA Centre has equipped me with the perfect skill set to give me the edge for a successful career in the City”.

The pair were awarded the prize at the ICMA Centre’s annual end of year BBQ in May.

Two of the ICMA Centres top performing MSc students were awarded with the Eurekahedge prize.  First place was awarded to Vladimir Zdorovenin, MSc International Securities and Investment Banking, with Duncan Green, studying on the MSc Investment Management programme as the runner-up.

The Eurekahedge prize is awarded annually for the best research paper on hedge funds, and comes in recognition of the winning students efforts and hard work that went into completing their research projects.  Vladimirs’ project was sponsored by the Nomura Research Institute whilst Duncan’s research project explored the potential benefit to an investment manager to include a hedge fund in his or hers optimal portfolio whilst also investigating the challenging problem of the return distributions. Both research papers were supervised by Dr. Jacques Pezier.

Vladimir was delighted with winning  ?I find professional acclaim very important for everything I do. I would also like to thank Eurekahedge for providing the data that has been crucial for this research. I appreciate the guidance of Dr. Jacques Pezier, as well as the feedback, assistnace and support provided by ICMA Centre staff and students. The supportive atmosphere of ICMA Centre made my research project a truly satisfying experience and am glad to admit that the course has met and exceeded my rather high expectations.’

Duncan commented: ?I am thrilled to have achieved runner up. I would like to thank Eurekahedge for providing me with data so I could carry out this research and also the ICMA Centre for teaching me valuable financial market knowledge, without which the research could not have been accomplished’

Upon graduating, Vladimir will complete an exchange programme with Technischen Universitat Munchen and Augsburg, and intends to return to the ICMA Centre to work on a PhD under the supervison of Prof. Carol Alexander and Dr. Jaques Pezier.

The ICMA Centre, University of Reading is delighted to announce that its MSc Corporate Finance students are now eligible for exemption from paper 2 of the SII Certificate in Corporate Finance.

This now totals three ICMA Centre degrees, which are eligible for exemption from SII qualifications including the Certificate and Diploma. The others being the MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking, and the MSc Investment Management.

“This is great news for our students and further substantiates are relationship with the SII following the Centre of Excellence designation bestowed on the Centre earlier this year.?   Professor John Board, Director of the ICMA Centre

For further information see the MSc Corporate Finance section.

The ICMA Centre’s MSc in Financial Risk Management has been accredited by the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA).

PRMIA is a non-profit, member-led professional association designed to promote a higher standard for risk professionals, and the ICMA Centre was the first business school in Europe to be accredited to PRMIA. Endorsed by leading Universities and businesses PRMIA’s Professional Risk Manager (PRM) certification programme sets a global standard for the world’s top financial risk managers. The PRM curriculum covers a body of knowledge that industry leaders have identified as crucial for professional risk managers.

Prospective students can be confident that accredited degree programs have a high degree of commonality with the PRMTM curriculum ? a body of knowledge that industry leaders have identified as crucial for professional risk managers,? says Jodi Lundell, PRMIA Director of Risk Training and Education. She adds, ?They can also be confident that these degree programs are appropriately rigorous, are taught by high quality faculty, and are recognized by potential employers.?

The ICMA Centre’s affiliation with the PRMIA accreditation programme means that students will be well prepared for careers as professional risk managers, and there is a significant large and rapidly growing demand for properly qualified students in the risk management area.

The Centre’s FRM degree covers approximately three times as much material as the PRM examinations I, II and III.  Accreditation by PRMIA is recognition that the MSc Financial Risk Management programme covers at least 70% of the PRM syllabus. Students who complete appropriate courses within the FRM degree will be eligible for exemption from PRM Exams I and II which form a major part of the PRM certificate, and the ICMA Centre provides assistance. Students can be confident that the MSc is appropriately rigorous, taught by highly reputable academic staff, including Professor Carol Alexander and together with this accreditation, recognised by potential employers as a professional programme.

The ICMA Centre’s MSc in FRM has been carefully structured to provide students with the specialised knowledge they need for this challenging profession, the Centre’s success is based not only on the integration of applied finance theory and industry specific training but also its considerable professional and academic expertise.

For further details, please see PRMIA FAQ’S.