IFIE.org | About Us

About Us

What is IFIE?

The International Forum for Investor Education — IFIE — is a unique alliance chartered in 2005 that brings together private sector and public sector providers of investor education to improve the effectiveness of investor education programs around the world.

The Forum serves as a clearinghouse for the exchange of information and ideas among providers of investor education from different jurisdictions, including organizations that are just developing or planning to develop investor education programs.

IFIE’s vision is to create and promote the highest possible standards for and the most efficient delivery of investor education around the globe.

IFIE’s mission is to help investors in all financial markets better understand the risks and opportunities associated with various types of investments and the investment process.

IFIE’s key principles

Establishing and promoting the standards of best practices for investor education on a global basis.
Serving as a clearinghouse for the exchange of information and ideas among providers of investor education operating in different jurisdictions. See www.ifie.org
Encouraging the establishment, growth and improved effectiveness of comprehensive investor education programs.

See IFIE’s Activities here

IFIE/IOSCO Investor Education Conferences

IFIE has partnered with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) to present two major conferences, one in Madrid October 2007 “Investor Education Developments in the European Union and Around the Globe” and in Washington, D.C. March 2009 “Investor Education: Creating and Delivering Successful Programmes”.

Participants from over 100 jurisdictions worldwide came to discuss best practices in investor education.

View presentations from the March 2009 IFIE/IOSCO Investor Education Conference in Washington, D.C.

View presentations from the October 2007 IFIE/IOSCO Investor Education Conference in Madrid, Spain

IFIE perspectives on investor education based on discussions at its Washington conference:

A critical ingredient for rebuilding the world economies is restoring investor confidence in our securities markets through better and more investor education programmes.

There has never been a more important time than now to mobilize efforts around the world to build the financial knowledge, skills and understanding of investors and potential investors.

The participants at the Conference believe that effective, efficient and well resourced investor education programmes focused on individual investor needs are critical to efforts at sustainable recovery.

Investor Education needs must be addressed through a continuum of initiatives that address the financial education and literacy of individuals depending on their levels of knowledge, skills and understanding of financial markets and investing.

Given the significant need, size, diversity and breath of the potential target, it will be extremely complex to reach the relevant audiences. Therefore, these initiatives must be delivered by a variety of groups representing governments, regulators, market participants, non-profit organizations and educators.

At the same time, it is essential that education programmes be focused on the specific needs and tailored to the different requirements of individuals, groups, communities or regions while accommodating their cultural differences.

This will not be a one time effort, since professional experiences have indicated that investor knowledge can only be raised through repeated programmes that reinforce and complement each other.

The good news is that there is a significant base of global expertise, commitment, network and interest in providing investor education programmes that nations, international organizations, regulators and the global economy can tap.

In this economic environment, it is recognized that the resources needed to take on this massive task will be scarce. As a result, collaboration across programmes, sharing of resources and knowledge, and the leveraging of assets is critical to success.