Bermuda College has partnered with the International Compliance Association to offer the ICA’s entire suite of anti-money laundering and compliance qualifications to regulatory and financial compliance professionals.

The ICA is widely considered the world’s leading professional body for the global regulatory and financial crime compliance community.

This strategic partnership honours ICA’s commitment to the highest standards of practice and conduct, and the college’s pledge to provide training programmes designed to meet the evolving needs of the local economy and emergent industries, a statement said.

ICA aims to increase the knowledge and skills of compliance professionals across the globe by providing exceptional learning experiences through a wide range of qualifications, awarded in association with Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester.

ICA’s qualifications in Bermuda will be partially funded by the Government of Bermuda in its commitment to train, develop and upskill the local workforce in regulatory and financial crime compliance in line with global best practice and international standards, according to the statement.

Helen Langton, ICA chief executive officer, said: “Financial crime is a rapidly evolving threat that faces government, businesses and economies of all sizes, accounting for a shocking 3.6 per cent of global GDP. Central to financial crime prevention are compliance professionals whose work affects the life of billions of people across the globe every day.

“Training and education have a crucial role to play in ensuring they are well equipped to detect and prevent fraud, money laundering or any other form of financial crime.

“I am particularly excited about the opportunity to leverage ICA’s international experience and work closely with Bermuda College to provide best-in-class training and qualifications for regulatory and financial crime compliance professionals in Bermuda and beyond.

“As a leading financial hub, the Bermuda market is of strategic importance to the world financial market, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Government to raise the bar and ensure a safe and secure environment for investors, businesses and society.”

Dr Duranda Greene, Bermuda College president, said: “This partnership speaks directly to the relevance and calibre of training and professional development that Bermuda College seeks to provide to its residents through our division of professional and career education on an ongoing basis. The training couldn’t have come at a more opportune time as Bermuda adapts to the burgeoning presence of compliance throughout various industries. Bermuda College is also grateful for the financial support that the Government has provided to assist students in becoming certified compliance professionals.”

The partnership with the college coincides with the recent opening of ICA’s first branch in Bermuda, the statement said, and marks the latest addition to ICA’s established foothold in the region with centres in The Bahamas and British Virgin Islands as well as 27 other global locations in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.

Since inception, the statement said, ICA has trained more than 130,000 professionals in 152 countries through its internationally recognised portfolio of professional qualifications and accredited in-company training. As part of an ongoing strategy to constantly improve business performance, ICA maintains global partnerships with an extensive network of regulators, firms and local compliance associations across the globe.

For more information visit: www.int-comp.org