About the Investment Academy
The Investment Academy is a project of the Slovak Association of Securities Dealers. Its aim is to increase knowledge and professional understanding of how capital markets work, investment instruments, and the conditions and opportunities for investing through capital-market instruments. Each participant who completes all courses within a given level receives a certificate of completion.
Who the Investment Academy is for
The Investment Academy is designed for a broad audience — from people with no prior investment knowledge or experience, through individual investors and financial intermediaries active in the capital-market sector, to highly specialised professionals responsible, for example, for managing securities portfolios.
Investment Academy levels
The Investment Academy consists of three levels: basic, intermediate and advanced.
Basic level
The basic level consists of three standalone courses — “Introduction to Investing”, “Investment Basics” and “Investing in Equities and Bonds” — which build on one another. The courses are designed to be understandable even for people with no prior theoretical or practical experience of investing in capital-market instruments. The aim is to explain, in an accessible way, the basic principles of capital markets, including the opportunities, advantages, disadvantages and risks associated with investing in traded investment instruments. Graduates should understand the basic principles of capital markets, distinguish the main terms used in the sector, and have an overview of the opportunities and risks associated with capital-market investing.
Intermediate level
The intermediate level builds on the basic level and assumes either prior practical investment experience or completion of the basic level. It is primarily intended for individual investors and financial intermediaries active in the capital-market sector. The level consists of two courses — “Investing in Securities in Practice” and “Financial Planning and Investment Advice”. The focus is on the practical application of knowledge gained at the basic level. Graduates should gain a deeper understanding of the conditions and practical aspects of investing in capital-market instruments, including the related advantages and risks. Particular emphasis is also placed on the practical application of financial planning and investment advice.
Advanced level
The advanced level builds partly on the two previous levels but focuses more strongly on deepening knowledge of specific activities in securities portfolio management, as well as ethics and best practices in investment services and investment advice. It is intended for highly specialised portfolio-management professionals, as well as employees and financial intermediaries providing services related to capital-market investing. Graduates should be able to manage securities portfolios at a professional level, whether individually or collectively, and should be prepared to provide professional investment advice to clients.