Sunway University is one of the only over 20 institutions in the world that provide up to six Institute and Faculty of Actuaries exemptions through its actuarial science programme.
Sunway University’s actuarial science programme receives QS Stars’ highest rating
IN the recently released QS Stars Rating System, Sunway University’s BSc (Hons) Actuarial Studies (BAS) programme, offered by the university’s School of Mathematical Sciences, achieved QS 5 Stars rating under the programme strength category.
This category identifies an institution’s specialist programme by looking at its competitiveness and strength in all areas from student application right through to graduate employment rate.
The 5 Stars rating is the highest that can be attained in the “Specialist Criteria”.
According to the QS Stars rating system “Many comprehensive universities will have subject areas in which they excel beyond all others.
“Like the QS World University Rankings by Subject, the specialist subject area of QS Stars seeks to both give credit to the smaller specialist organisations.”
Sunway University is one of the only over 20 institutions in the world that provide up to six Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (UK) exemptions through its three-year BAS programme.
The programme also allows students to get a maximum of three exemptions from the Society of Actuaries (US) Validation of Educational Experience requirements.
Full industry support
Together with qualified academic staff, the school’s in-house practicing actuaries and invited speakers from professional actuarial bodies deliver guest lectures and conduct actuarial practice courses, ensuring that the programme syllabus is in close alignment with industry needs.
The school has produced highly employable graduates, meeting the needs of the actuarial and financial services industries.
Launched in 2013, more than 600 graduates have completed this programme to date, venturing into diverse areas of practice, in life insurance, general insurance, takaful, reinsurance, consulting, risk management, pension, investment, finance, banking, data analytics and more.
The programme fuses a number of subjects pertaining to the application of mathematical and statistical techniques in the financial services industry.
The intakes are in January, March and August each year.
Hands-on approach
The BAS comprises the Actuarial Practice Course (APC), a special three-month intensive hands-on course conducted by Sunway University’s in-house actuaries.
Specially and carefully crafted to prepare students for employment, this APC course incorporates feedback from Sunway University’s in-house practicing actuaries and industry practitioners in the course design.
The content includes the International Financial Reporting Standard 17 (more popularly, IFRS 17) reserving, pricing, takaful, reinsurance, risk-based capital, current issues, among others.
Graduates have benefitted so much from this APC training as evidenced by their ability to secure actuarial positions in a highly competitive job market upon graduation and the achievement is further justified with a perfect score in “graduate employment rate” in the QS 5 Stars.
Sunway BAS graduates start their careers in life, general property and casualty insurance, takaful, finance, risk management, commercial banks, reinsurance, pension and other financial services industries.
Benchmark achievement
The School of Mathematical Sciences dean Prof Ho Chee Kit said he is humbled by this remarkable achievement and acknowledges the unwavering support from the university, as well as its academic and administrative staff, including the school’s in-house practicing actuaries, alumni and current students.
This stellar achievement is a testament to the school’s continued effort in providing the highest quality actuarial science education to the students.
Honoured by this rewarding recognition, the school strives to maintain the momentum and propel the school to greater heights.
For more details on the programme, visit my.sunwayu.edu.my/mathsc
