The ICMA Centre Turns 20
Release Date 28 June 2011
The University of Reading's ICMA Centre has just celebrated 20 years of providing high-quality education for the financial markets.
To mark the occasion staff past and present, alumni, and current students attended a special drinks reception at the Centre last week. Guest enjoyed a trip down memory lane, seeing photographs from the last 20 years and a video produced in the 90s, and also competed in a trading competition.
Now part of Henley Business School, the ICMA Centre was established in 1991 with funding from the International Capital Market Association. The Centre has come a long way in twenty years with an impressive range of undergraduate and Masters Programmes, a PhD programme, research, consultancy and its own executive education programmes now on offer.
Professor Brian Scott-Quinn, Chairman and founder of the Centre opened the speeches reminiscing on the early years and thanking Martin Scheck, Chief Executive of ICMA for the organisation's vision and continued support for the Centre.
Martin Scheck said: "The ICMA Centre is a driving force in the provision of high quality, relevant education and we value our relationship with the Centre very highly. The development of a successful, internationally recognised, education programme requires a long term, multi year commitment and we are extremely fortunate to have such a partner in the ICMA Centre."
Professor John Board, Director of the Centre and now Dean of Henley Business School, and Professor Tony Downes, Deputy Vice-Chancellor also spoke of the value placed on the relationship by the Centre and the University.
Professor Scott-Quinn said: "From small beginnings, large ventures grow... The Centre has gone from strength to strength with John Board taking over the Directorship from me in 2005 and driving forward not only the project for the extension to our building which was also financed by ICMA, but a large number of very successful educational and business development initiatives.
"We now have the benefit of being part of a larger and very successful business school - Henley Business School - which is proving to be a good and helpful parent organisation. It's great seeing the Centre going from strength to strength with around 400 students, including our BSc programme. As important is the range of ICMA executive education programmes offered by the Centre. From the original two programmes when the Centre started out to the amazing number of 39.
"In addition, the ICMA Centre's own executive education programmes have expanded dramatically with clients ranging from major investment banks through regulatory agencies to trade associations around the world."
Ends
Further press information from James Barr, University of Reading press office, 0118 378 7115, j.w.barr@reading.ac.uk
ICMA Centre
Part of the triple accredited Henley Business School, the ICMA Centre was formed as the first active collaboration between the securities industry and a university finance department. We offer a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education, as well as professional and policy development research and consultancy. The ICMA Centre's aim is to deliver the highest standard in financial markets focused teaching, learning and research. Our unique integration of theory with practice is achieved through the use of the Centre's three state-of-the-art dealing rooms. All equipped by Thomson Reuters, the terminals run the latest industry simulation software as well as the Centre's own simulation software platform; ICTrader. See: www.icmacentre.ac.uk.
Henley Business School
Founded in 1945, by business for business, Henley was the first business school in the UK and is one of the oldest and most respected schools in Europe. Henley's impressive full-service portfolio extends from undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes to a world-renowned executive education offering, from cutting-edge research spanning a uniquely broad range of fields to specialist consultancy services. One of the very few business schools worldwide to hold triple-accredited status from the major UK, European and US awarding bodies (AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB), Henley is also the world's third largest provider of MBA education. www.henley.reading.ac.uk/
International Capital Market Association (ICMA)
ICMA represents financial institutions active in the international capital market worldwide. ICMA's members are located in 50 countries, including all the world's main financial centres. Its market conventions and standards have been the pillars of the international debt market for over 40 years, providing the framework of rules governing market practice which facilitate the orderly functioning of the market. ICMA actively promotes the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the capital markets by bringing together market participants including regulatory authorities and governments. www.icmagroup.org