The Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) is offering a range of scholarships for its Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) Program.

The professional development course is aimed improving both the practical and theoretical investment knowledge of individuals, as well as their industry contacts.

It is the only program offered in Australia that is designed for investment consultants and researchers.

There are three scholarships on offer:

Institutional investment consultants and researchers scholarship

AMP Capital have partnered with IMCA to provide a scholarship for institutional investment consultants and analysts servicing external clients. Applications close 30 April 2014.

Retail researchers, investment consultants and portfolio managers scholarship

Blackrock Investment Management and Portfolio Construction Forum will provide a scholarship specifically for analysts within retail fund research houses, platforms, ‘manage-the-managers’ fund managers, financial planning firms and family offices. Applications close 30 April 2014.

Fund executives scholarship

Open exclusively to members of the Fund Executives Association Limited (FEAL) and supported by Fidelity Worldwide International. This Scholarship is designed for those working in the Superannuation Industry. Applications close 14 April 2014.

Jo Townsend, investment manager, REST Industry Super, who gained a scholarship in 2012, recommended the CIMA course for anyone working in a role which requires broad knowledge of financial markets and investment processes.

“The week long residential program was challenging and contained a good mixture of the theoretical and the practical delivered by both academics and industry practitioners,” she said.

Brett Elvish, chairman of IMCA Australia, said the intensive, short course structure of CIMA was perfect for busy investment professionals.

“Not only does CIMA expand participants’ knowledge, it is a great networking opportunity,” he said. “It provides a forum to discuss investment trends and test conventional wisdom with industry peers”.

There are currently a total of 175 CIMA graduates.

Made up of two components, CIMA involves an independent study program (Level 1) and a residential program and examination (Level 2) which run from September 28 – October 3 2014.

Material covered in the course includes:

~ Investment Policy Statements;

~ Capital markets analysis –  equity and fixed interest;

~ Efficient market hypothesis;

~ Asset allocation and risk management;

~ Manager selection and due diligence;

~ Alternative investments;

~ Performance measurement and attribution, and

~ The Australian legal and regulatory environment

Following the successful completion of the program, including a four-hour examination, participants receive the CIMA qualification.

To apply for a scholarship visit www.imca.org.au or for more information contact John Pinkerton at IMCA Australia – jpinkerton@imca.org.au / (02) 9299 3445