SII designates BPP Law School a Centre of Excellence for investment regulation and compliance

Carl Lygo, Principal of BPP College and Ruth Martin, Managing Director of the SII5 March 2009

BPP Law School is the first higher education institution to be designated by the Securities and Investment Institute (“SII”) as a Centre of Excellence in the field of investment regulation and compliance.

The Centre of Excellence designation is awarded to a select group of universities and institutions considered by the SII to offer leadership in academic education focusing on financial markets.

BPP Law School will be launching an LLM in Financial Regulation and Compliance in September 2009 and will also be offering a specialised module in financial regulation and compliance on its existing LLM in Professional Legal Practice. Graduates of these master's degrees will be eligible for full SII membership and will qualify for the award of the SII Diploma in Investment Compliance.

BPP Law School students who enrol on either of these master's degrees will be eligible to become student members of the SII giving them privileges such as free attendance at SII CPD events, free access to SII publications and to its searchable online library and access to the SII student centre which offers help and support to student members. 

Peter Crisp, Dean of BPP Law School, said: “Almost daily a new story hits the headlines demonstrating the vital importance of proper vigilance and a high level of scrutiny in relation to the regulation and compliance aspects of investment. These master's degrees will produce graduates who understand not only the financial side of investment, but also its legal, regulatory and compliance aspects and the ethical values which should underpin practice in this area. The need for such graduates has never been more apparent.

“BPP has trained professionals for the qualifications offered by the SII for a number of years. I am delighted that the law school has been selected for this honour which is an acknowledged mark of quality. Our BVC and LPC students are now in the unique position of being able to gain an internationally recognised qualification in financial services along side their BVC/LPC. I am very pleased that BPP Law School is able to add such value to its students.”

Carl Lygo, Principal of BPP College, commented on signing the agreement with the SII: “Baroness Cohen, President of BPP College, would have liked to be here [at the signing] today but she is currently in Brussels leading a House of Lords delegation considering an EU-wide response for further financial regulation.  The very existence of such a delegation shows the increased need, not only in this country, but across the EU, for graduates with a real understanding of regulation and compliance in the financial sector.”

Ruth Martin, Managing Director of SII said: “Across the sector there is a demand from the users of financial services for a step-change in professionalism. SII is delighted that the combination of rigorous postgraduate study, professional qualification and the commitment to professionalism through SII membership, which embodies a strong code of conduct, is evidence of this step-change.”

Alison Scott-Bishop, Head of Compliance Training and Development, HSBC Bank plc UK, commented: "In today's markets, LLM graduates with an understanding of not only the legal aspects of finance and investment, but who also grasp the regulatory and compliance challenges faced by the financial services industry, will be attractive to a broad range of firms involved in the industry."

ENDS

Notes to editors

Media enquiries

For BPP: Peter Crisp, Dean of the Law School

+44 (0)20 7430 7035

Email: petercrisp@bpp.com

For Securities and Investment Institute: Lora Benson, Head of Media

+44 020 7645 0662; mobile: +44 07801 521034

Email: lora.benson@sii.org.uk

About BPP College of Professional Studies Limited

BPP College of Professional Studies Limited (“BPP College”), which comprises BPP Business School and BPP Law School, is the first private sector, publicly owned company to be granted degree awarding powers by the Privy Council. BPP College delivers business and law programmes across four centres, Leeds, London (Holborn and Waterloo) and Manchester and has more than 5,500 students. For more information about BPP College please visit: www.bppuc.com.

About Securities and Investment Institute

Our mission is to help members attain, maintain and develop their knowledge and skills and to promote the highest standards of ethics and integrity in the securities and investment industry.

Formed in 1992 from the Stock Exchange, the SII is now the leading examining, training and membership body for the securities and investment industry in the UK, with over 40,000 members who benefit from our programme of professional and social events.  As the main examining body for the industry, the Institute provides a range of relevant vocational qualifications attracting over 45,000 candidates a year.  We have developed Centres of Excellence within several universities to offer our qualifications, and have made our Introduction to Securities and Investments available to schools and colleges around the UK  In addition, the Institute produces publications and workbooks and runs a series of widely respected and well attended conferences and seminars in the UK and overseas. 

Based in the City of London, we are a global organisation with representative offices in financial centres such as Dublin, Singapore, Dubai, Mumbai and Shanghai.  We work in close cooperation with regulators, firms and other professional bodies worldwide.  The Institute is currently a member of the FSA workstream on professionalism as part of the Retail Distribution Review and will shortly be making an application to the Privy Council to become a chartered body.

Additional information

Professionals within the securities and investment industry owe important duties to their clients, to the market, the industry and to society at large and these master's degrees are designed to contribute to the SII’s fundamental aim of setting standards of professional excellence and integrity for the investment and securities industry. The degrees will focus on raising professionalism in the sector and on adherence to the Institute’s principles which impose upon members an obligation to act in a way that moves beyond mere compliance and supports the underlying values of honesty, fairness and integrity, and the upholding of the highest personal standards. 

Students undertaking these master's degrees will study:

  • national and international financial regulation
  • the concept of risk in the financial sector, including risk assessments and audits
  • the threats posed to the stability and integrity of financial institutions, including their control and containment
  • an in-depth knowledge and understanding of compliance and enforcement including the legal implications of compliance, compliance obligations, practical issues such as the constructing and implementation of effective compliance systems, the prevention of financial crime and the identification, containment and control of breaches in compliance

Graduates of the LLM in Professional Legal Practice will not only have completed all their vocational training as a solicitor or barrister in preparation for the training contract or pupillage, but will also hold the SII Diploma in Investment Compliance qualification and be full SII Members