Johannesburg,
11 September, 2014 - The Retail Banking Academy (formerly IARB) and
the Institute of Bankers in South Africa (the second oldest Banking Institute
in the world) will today enter into a Memorandum of Understanding whereby IOBSA
will undertake an evaluation of the Academy’s credit bearing programmes
and award candidates a designation. The Memorandum will be signed at an
event held at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg.
Today’s
announcement is in line with the shared common objectives of IOBSA and the
Retail Banking Academy - supporting and improving the standards and competencies
of those working in the banking and financial services sector and helping to
develop and embed a culture that raises standards of professionalism.
Since its
launch in 2011 students from over 60 countries have enrolled with the Retail Banking
Academy. Candidates
from all the major South African banks have already registered for Academy
courses. Indeed, a South African bank (Nedbank) was the Academy’s
first African client.
Evelyn
Hunter-Jordan, Academy CEO, welcomed the announcement. She said ‘In
2013 our programmes were accredited by the Chartered Banker Institute in the United Kingdom.
With this new memorandum we have consolidated our relationship with the two
longest established and highly regarded banking institutes in the world.
It is our aim to enter into similar arrangements with other such organisations
worldwide in pursuit of our mission to promote retail banking as an
internationally recognised profession’.
Jalda
Hodges, Chairman of the Board of IOBSA commented ‘We share a common aim
and it is important that we find ways to work together to the mutual benefit of
our members.’
