Mumbai: CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, recently hosted its first All-India University Roundtable at its Mumbai office, bringing together academic leaders from universities across India to foster dialogue on the future of finance education and strengthen alignment with the evolving needs of the global investment profession.
The roundtable, themed “Insights Shaping the CFA Curriculum and the Skills Development Initiative,” highlighted the growing importance of skills-based learning, evolving curriculum design, and deeper collaboration between academia and industry.
Led by senior CFA Institute delegates Whitney Coggeshal, Director of Product Management, and Anne Falhgreen, Senior Head – CFA Program, the session served as a platform for meaningful discussions on how finance education can better prepare students for a rapidly changing professional environment.
A key focus of the event was the CFA Institute skills-based learning initiative, a transformational approach aimed at delivering learning experiences and assessments that mirror real-world tasks and employer expectations.
The initiative is designed to address the increasing demand for job-ready talent, enhance learning outcomes, and maintain relevance to the investment management industry.
Participants explored the growing shift toward skills-first hiring and continuous upskilling. Discussions highlighted how employers are increasingly prioritising practical competencies, demonstrable skills, and real-world application over purely theoretical knowledge.
The dialogue also examined emerging trends such as micro-credentialing, applied learning models, and the expanding role of technology and artificial intelligence in finance careers.
The session further underscored how the CFA Program continues to evolve while preserving credential integrity.
Through practical skills modules, applied assessments, and flexible learning formats, the program seeks to balance innovation with globally consistent standards and academic rigor.
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Saim Fakih, Manager, University Relations – India, CFA Institute, said: “This marked our very first All-India University Roundtable, reflecting our commitment to building stronger national engagement with academia and aligning finance education more closely with industry needs.
By advancing skills-based learning within globally recognised programs like the CFA Program, we aim to help students develop practical capabilities, ethical judgement, and the adaptability required for careers in modern finance.”
Dr. Nilesh Arora, Executive Director – Management, Chandigarh University, said: “Hearing directly from CFA Program’s curriculum architects reaffirmed what we owe our students – not just theory, but the skills that markets actually demand.
As a professor, I often wonder if what we teach truly prepares students for the real world and this roundtable gave me both the answers and the tools to do better.”
P. K. Mohanty, Professor and Dean, School of Commerce, XIM University, added: “The presentations on industry expectations that shape the CFA curriculum were truly interesting and very informative.
As the finance world needs highly skilled finance professionals, I feel that the innovative course curriculum of the CFA institute will prepare the students to face the real-life challenges and emerge successful.”
The CFA Institute roundtable brought together faculty members and academic representatives from several leading institutions across India, including DY Patil University, Institute of Management Studies at Banaras Hindu University, Christ University, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Woxsen University, IMI Delhi, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Kharagpur, Chandigarh University, Assam Downtown University, Jindal School of Banking & Finance (O.P. Jindal Global University), Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, XIM University, Shiv Nadar University, Bennett University, and St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, among others.
Participating faculty included Mehul Barai, Anindita Chakraborty, Shivi Khanna, Nandan R., Mathew Verghese, Yogesh Pai P., Deepak Singh, Monika Chopra, Dr. Naresh Chandra Sahu, Abhijeet Chandra, Anureet Kaur, Dr. Nilesh Arora, Monjit Bora, Dr. Shivangi Gupta, Pankaj (LBSIM), P. K. Mohanty, Debarati Basu, Kapil Kapoor, Krishnendu Ghosh, Kushal, along with faculty representatives from Atlas SkillTech University, K. J. Somaiya College, P. D. Hinduja College, Podar institutions, Jai Hind College, and KES institutions.
The event concluded with an interactive discussion on opportunities for deeper collaboration between academia and CFA Institute, including curriculum alignment, faculty engagement, and initiatives aimed at improving student employability and career readiness.
Through initiatives such as the All-India University Roundtable, CFA Institute continues to strengthen engagement with universities across India and support the development of globally relevant, ethical, and future-ready finance professionals.
