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Vancouver +1(604) 628-5783
April 7, 2021
The CFA Institute is the world’s largest association of investment professionals with more than 178,000 active members and 157 local member societies worldwide. Ashton Testing Services is proud to partner with the CFA Institute, and be one of the 8 centres chosen globally to deliver CFA designation exams.
The CFA Institute is a global, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society.
The CFA Institute, formerly known as the Association for Investment Management, was founded in 1947 when four analyst societies merged for the purpose of promoting the exchange of ideas and supporting the welfare of their profession. In 1962 the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation was created, and the professional code of conduct established. Since then, the CFA Institute has developed two more professional programs; the Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIMP) and the CFA Institute Investment Foundations Certificate Program.
The CFA Institute serves its mission by generating value for core investment management professionals and engaging with the industry to advance ethics, market integrity, and professional standards of practice. The CFA Institute believes that the financial markets, services, and professionals should operate to:
a) Contribute to the betterment of society through the generating of sustainable value by creating efficient financial markets and effective investment institutions
b) Practice good stewardship and high ethical standards to ensure the trust and confidence of society
c) Afford every investor the opportunity to earn a fair return
d) Encourage knowledgeable and diverse participation within financial markets
The CFA Institute is proud of its cultural values that bind their colleagues together - trust, service, inclusion, and curiosity. Their long-term aspirational vision for success includes all investment management professionals working as a community for the ultimate benefit of society. This vision will be achieved by the CFA Institute through providing educational resources to all investment management professionals, equipping and supporting members to better serve their clients, and advocating for the highest professional excellence that ultimately benefits society.
The CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) is a postgraduate professional designation that certifies the competence and ethics of financial analysts. According to the CFA Institute, which offers the charter, it is the most respected and recognized investment management designation in the world. The process of earning the CFA charter will give professionals deep knowledge in the areas of investment analysis, asset management, and ethics.
TThe CFA designation is valued by employers for roles and functions in every sector of the global financial industry, including portfolio management, analysis, private wealth, and consulting. The CFA Program is typically completed by those with backgrounds in finance, accounting, economics, or business. CFA charterholders are qualified to work in senior and executive positions in investment management, risk management, asset management, and more.
The CFA Program consists of a series of three examinations (Level I, II, III) that must be taken in succession. Each is designed to test knowledge of different investment tools and skills including the fundamentals of investment tools, valuing assets, portfolio management, and wealth planning.
Exam Format:
Level 1 - Multiple Choice
Level 2 - Vignette-supported multiple-choice questions
Level 3 - Vignette-supported constructed response questions and vignette-supported multiple-choice questions
Our Partnership
Ashton Testing Services and the CFA Institute have partnered together, and signed a contract, to deliver the CFA exam due to high demand. ATS was recently upgraded to meet the stringent CFA requirements and exams will be delivered in the state-of-the-art Prometric Centre that was built in 2018 to meet their specific needs. CFA examinations are currently being administered at both ATS and Prometric Centres.