Fitch Learning: China Leads the World in Number of Quants in Training

Enrolment in the Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF) from China has surged by over 300% amid a growing appetite for high-quality online learning. China now has the largest number of CQF delegates from any country in the world.

China intake for quantitative finance course jumps threefold

There are two annual intakes for the CQF (January and June), an online program delivered exclusively by Fitch Learning, part of the Fitch Group. The threefold increase in China enrolments was recorded for the January 2021 intake, compared with the previous year. Mainland China-based delegates accounted for 33% of the January 2021 global CQF intake.

Global intake for CQF hits record high

Globally, the January 2021 CQF intake is the biggest to date, representing a 32% year on year rise from 2020.

Dr. Randeep Gug, CQF Program Director, Fitch Learning, said: “As the world of finance becomes more technical and data-driven, the need for practical quantitative finance skills has never been greater. The significant rise in the number of CQF delegates from mainland China reflects a strong need to upgrade their skills and raise their career mobility in the country’s fast-changing financial markets.”

Full support in Mandarin for China-based CQF delegates

Dr. Gug added: “We are committed to providing world-class quantitative finance training and meeting the rising demand for local-language support for Chinese professionals. This is why we have joined forces with China’s leading financial professional education provider, Golden Education, to offer mainland China-based delegates all the benefits of the international CQF qualification as well as support in Mandarin to enhance the online learning experience. “

Mainland China-based delegates will study and obtain the global CQF qualification with the program support now being offered in Mandarin, provided by Golden Education’s associates through primers, workshops, tutorials and labs.

Demand for quant skills to grow

The strong demand for quant training comes as the findings from a poll conducted at Fitch Learning’s Quant Insights conference in November 2020 indicate the increasingly important role of online learning and continuous education. According to the poll:

• 95% of respondents think online learning will grow in demand over the next five years
• 97% feel that lifelong learning is important to stay relevant in the job market
• 89% believe it is important to have a professional qualification when seeking a career in quant finance
• The demand for quant skills is predicted to grow most significantly in Asia, particularly in China

The need for practical quant finance skills is here to stay with a five-year average growth rate for CQF delegates in China forecast to be 65% per year.