The Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong (IFPHK) has launched a foundation-level programme to equip financial services professionals and candidates interested in entering the financial advisory field with the knowledge to advance their careers.
The International Certificate for Financial Advisers (ICFA) course, which was developed by the British-based Chartered Insurance Institute, provides candidates with a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of financial services, including how to work with clients and the application of various types of financial product.
The programme places emphasis on ethics and professional behaviour, which the IFPHK claims is a unique feature of the syllabus.
The IFPHK said the ICFA was not merely another localised version of an international examination, but had been adapted to provide a local context for professionals.
Candidates do not study just international principles, but their practical application in Hong Kong.
IFPHK executive director for development Angeline Chin said: 'The result is an internationally recognised foundation programme that combines international and local knowledge and practice, while grounding candidates in international ethics.'