Academics invited to FPA Education Council

The Financial Planning Association (FPA) has invited three delegates from a newly formed group of financial planning academics to be part of its Education Council. The delegates will contribute to discussions about research and curriculum matters.

The Financial Planning Academics Forum (FPAF), which is made up of representatives from 16 universities, met last month to discuss the issues surrounding the transition of financial planning into a profession.

The FPA’s head of professionalism, Deen Sanders, was invited to the meeting, where it was announced that the FPA would be broadening its Education Council to include research, and that three members of the forum would be invited to participate.

Co-chair of the forum, Professor Martin Hovey from the University of New England, said the announcement was a great step forward, since the group was initially formed as a response to the FPA’s call for a greater level of professionalism in the industry.

“The forum’s primary aim is to provide academic leadership in financial planning in the key areas of research, tertiary education, curriculum development, and community interest aspects,” Hovey said.

Also discussed at the meeting were ways of strengthening links between tertiary education and the financial planning industry by addressing the industry’s research needs, disseminating research results more widely and enabling all financial planners to acquire an accredited tertiary qualification.

The forum will meet again mid-year, and will also hold a Financial Planning Symposium in November where it will publish research papers on financial planning to be used within the industry.