FASEA upgrades pathways guidance


The Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) has released new guidance on its education pathways proposals, confirming bridging courses for advisers with bachelor’s degrees in related fields such as accounting, business, commerce, law and economics.
FASEA has also issued a draft code of ethics for consultation dealing with ethical behaviour, client care, quality process and professional commitment, including a requirement that advisers uphold the ethical standards of the profession and hold their peers to account.
Commenting on the updated pathways guidance, FASEA chief executive, Deen Sanders said that advisers with a bachelor’s degree in a related field – that is, accounting, financial planning or advice, business, commerce, law or economics – would need to complete a bridging course of three study units to meet the standards.
He said this typically equated to less than a year of part-time study.
“Advisers with a bachelor’s degree and a postgraduate qualification in a related field will only need to complete a one-unit bridging course covering the FASEA Code of Ethics,” the FASEA announcement said.
It said all advisers with these types of degrees would be eligible for the relevant bridging course option, regardless of when they obtained their degree.
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