CFA Institute, UVA Darden Announce Plans for Expanded Partnership

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business and CFA Institute have announced plans to expand their partnership through mutual scholarship efforts, research, thought-leadership content and events, and executive education opportunities.

The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to grow the existing relationship, which began formally more than 50 years ago when the Federation of Financial Analysts voted to host the CFA Institute at UVA and for Darden Professor C. Stewart Sheppard to serve as its first director. From its early days when Sheppard and a future Darden dean, Professor Emeritus C. Ray Smith, wrote the first chartered financial analyst (CFA) program exams, CFA Institute has grown into a global association of investment professionals which sets the standard for ethics, education and professional excellence.

“We are delighted to extend our partnership and history of cooperation with the Darden School of Business through this agreement,” said Paul Smith, president and CEO of CFA Institute. “Not only are we good neighbors but our institutions share similar values in supporting and developing responsible leaders who will make a difference in the world. A key tenet of our mission is continuing education and I am looking forward to advancing our cause in collaboration with our partners at Darden.”

Scholarship efforts will be a central feature of the expanded partnership. The Darden School Foundation will award at least one full-tuition, merit-based scholarship each year to CFA Institute charterholders and charter-pending candidates in good standing who are accepted to the Darden School.

The CFA Institute will continue to offer 10 scholarships for the CFA Program to Darden students seeking the Chartered Financial Analyst credential.

Additional areas of partnership between Darden and the CFA Institute will build on many existing initiatives, including:

• Collaborating on CFA Institute Financial Analysts Journal
• Funding for research and scholarships
• Organizing conferences, events and seminars
• Partnering on the CFA Program and Darden Executive Education
• Producing business cases, webcasts, reports and other thought-leadership content
• Developing ethics-focused content across both organizations

“Darden and CFA Institute have a long history of mutual support, we are both headquartered in Charlottesville yet are global, and we hope to foster an even stronger relationship through this MOU,” said Darden Dean Scott Beardsley. “Darden and CFA Institute each have a mission to develop ethical leaders and advance knowledge through research and education. Together, we can build a strong network of CFA Institute and Darden alumni who are committed to the well-aligned mission and values of each organization.”