Kaplan Singapore appointed as Accredited Training Provider for the Securities & Investment Institute

Kaplan Singapore has been appointed as an Accredited Training Provider by the Securities & Investment Institute (SII), the biggest and most prestigious membership and qualifications body for the securities and investment industry in the UK. The appointment comes on the heels of the launch of SII’s regional office in Singapore last September.

Under the appointment as SII Accredited Training Provider, Kaplan Singapore will administer SII training programmes and courses such as the International Investment Administration Qualification (IAQ)TM and the International Introduction to Investment Award. Recognised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), SII certification is much sought after by professionals in the financial sector, in areas such as wealth management, risk management and back-office financial services.

Every year, around 40,000 SII examinations are taken in over 30 countries worldwide. SII qualifications are supported by a robust Continuing Professional Development scheme for members to maintain their competency through conferences and professional development seminars.

“With the strong demand for skilled staff in Asia’s booming financial sector, the partnership with Kaplan is most timely. Singapore is an excellent centre for international training and with Kaplan Singapore now as our Accredited Training Provider, we can better reach out to financial professionals not just from Singapore but the region as well. Besides acquiring a high level of knowledge and competence, we also hope that our qualifications will give individuals the portable expertise that will open doors for them should they need or want to work in another country.” said Mr Simon Culhane, Chief Executive of SII.

“We’re delighted to attain SII accreditation. Kaplan has a long history and solid track record of providing professional and financial training. We share SII’s mission of promoting the highest standards of professional excellence and integrity in the banking and finance industry, and we look forward to working together to provide qualifications that will bring such standards to the financial community.” said Mr Patrick Ho, CEO of Kaplan Singapore.

Classes for the first intake at Kaplan are expected to commence in May 2007. Depending on the specific programme, the length of training ranges from one to two years. For example, at 50-70 hours per module, the full IAQ qualification typically takes one year to complete. It consists of three modules and candidates are offered a choice of three out of eight electives, namely:

•	Introduction to Securities & Investment
•	Global Securities Operations
•	Exchange-traded Derivatives Administration
•	Operational Risk
•	Over-the-counter Derivatives Administration
•	Private Client Administration
•	Asset Servicing
•	Local Regulatory Paper

Exam fees are £115 per paper, while training fees are between S$1,300 and S$1,500 per module. For more information, click here.