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The CFA Institute is seeing growth in the number of women taking its internationally recognized three-level Chartered Financial Analyst exam program, with Australia seeing the highest increase, 23%, in test-takers this year compared to 2018.
Over the past five-years, the number of female test takers in the CFA Program has more than doubled, and now accounts for 39% of candidates.
"The pockets of gender balance emerging in global candidate pools is a positive sign for the future health of the industry and for investors because research shows that divergent perspectives improve investment outcomes," Stephen Horan, managing director for Credentialing and for the Americas region at CFA Institute, said in a recent statement.
"As firms improve diversity, we can begin to see that the investment profession of the future is more likely to be reflective of the investor population it serves," Horan explained.
The CFA Institute announced in mid-August that of 38,377 candidates who sat for the Level III CFA Program exam in June, 56% passed, completing their final CFA exam and becoming eligible to become CFA charterholders pending verification of professional experience.
More than 167,000 investment professionals worldwide hold the CFA charter credential.
The CFA Institute notes that its CFA Program curriculum "constantly evolves," with the curriculum studied by candidates this year including an overview of fintech, machine learning and professionalism in investment management.
