INSERT SOCIETY LOGO
CFA XXX (SOCIETY NAME) hosts CFA Institute Research Challenge
Students to compete for place in regional finale in (Hong Kong/London/New York)
City, date, year– CFA XXX (SOCIETY NAME) will host the xxx (STATE/COUNTRY) heat of the CFA
Institute Research Challenge. The society, the state/country (delete as appropriate) representative
of CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals made up of portfolio managers,
investment advisors, educators and other financial professionals, will hold the local stage of this
global competition on xx xxx (DATE). During the xxx (STATE/COUNTRY) heat, xx teams of three to five
students from xxx of the state’/country’s leading universities and business schools will compete for a
place in the regional final in Hong Kong /New York/London in February/March/April next year,
where they will meet other teams from their region. The successful team will then compete in the
international final, (also) to be held in New York in April 2012.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge offers students the unique opportunity to develop and present
an equity research report and compete on a global basis. Students will learn from leading industry
experts and their mentors and peers from the world’s top business schools. This annual educational
initiative is designed to promote best practices in equity research among the next generation of
analysts through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis and presentation
skills.
xxx, President of CFA xxx, said: “This year’s competition promises to be a challenging event for the
students taking part. Our society is very excited to be bringing the event to xx, and for giving
students the chance to meet some of the finest investment professionals and to potentially meet
their contemporaries from many other countries. Its further evidence of the continued educational
work we are doing to help support the investment professionals of tomorrow.”
The global competition, which runs until April 2012, is expected to attract 3,000 students and 600
universities in nearly 50 countries, including Vietnam, Kenya and Colombia for the first time.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge comprises:
 Analysis of a publicly-traded company
Teams research a publicly traded company. The company’s management presents
information to the student teams and is available to answer student questions.
 Mentoring by a professional research analyst
Each team works with a CFA charterholder who mentors the team during the research
process and reviews and critiques its report.
 Writing a research report
Each team produces an Initiation of Coverage report on its chosen company. The report is
reviewed and scored by a group of judges.
 Presentation of research to a panel of experts
The teams' final presentations are locally evaluated by panels of experts from top financial

institutions. Panelists include heads of research, portfolio managers, and chief investment
officers from the world’s top firms. The team with the highest combined written report and
presentation score is the winner and advances to the regional level of the Research
Challenge.
Advancement to the CFA Institute Research Challenge Global Finale
Regional winners then progress to compete at the global finale. At the regional and global
stages of the Research Challenge, teams are evaluated solely on their presentations.
For more information visit the CFA Institute Research Challenge website.
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Media contacts
President contact details
Public awareness chair contact details
Notes to Editors
About (SOCIETY)
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About the Global Investment Research Challenge
The challenge gathers students, investment industry professionals, publicly traded companies and
corporate sponsors together locally, regionally, and globally for a world competition. In order to
promote best practices in equity research and company analysis, students research, analyze, and
report on a company as if they are practicing analysts. Local CFA societies host and launch an
Investment Research Challenge in conjunction with the participating universities. The universities
assemble teams of three-five business and finance students who work directly with a company in
researching and preparing a company analysis. The team’s final presentations are locally evaluated
by high-profile panels of heads of research, portfolio managers, and chief investment officers from
the world’s top firms. The local champions advance to regional competitions in the Americas, Asia,
and Europe and then to the global finale.
About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association for investment professionals. It administers the CFA and CIPM
curriculum and exam programs worldwide; publishes research; conducts professional development
programs; and sets voluntary, ethics-based professional and performance-reporting standards for
the investment industry. CFA Institute has more than 105,000 members, who include the world’s
97,000 CFA charterholders, as well as 135 affiliated professional societies in 58 countries and
territories. More information may be found at www.cfainstitute.org