Acadia Teams Up with Northeastern University to launch Quantitative Derivatives Pricing and Risk Modeling Program

The interactive program will enable participants to master key analytical concepts and modeling skills based on hands-on experience with industry-leading open source software and elevate their future careers in the financial derivatives market.

Norwell, MA and Boston, MA, and London: Acadia, a leading industry provider of integrated risk management services for the derivatives community, has partnered with the Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business (opens in new tab) to offer a new and highly interactive, globally accessible, professional certification program*, Quantitative Derivatives Pricing and Risk Modeling.

The certification program will dive beyond basic derivatives pricing and risk concepts into advanced industry applications through real-world examples, self-guided exercises, and live facilitated sessions with D’Amore-McKim School of Business faculty, Acadia leadership, and other industry experts. Taught through a flexible 8-hour-per-week schedule over six months, the program is designed for recent graduates and professionals with basic quantitative finance, risk management, and financial modeling experience, with some knowledge of C++ and/or Python preferred though not strictly required. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a Northeastern University digital credential that reflects the rigor of the course’s experience. The digital credential will provide individuals with a competitive advantage in the quantitative finance derivatives risk management job market – a high-potential and high demand niche in the financial services industry.

Learners will get hands on experience, working closely with and contributing to the Open Source Risk Engine (ORE), an industry-leading software toolkit used by Acadia for its hosted risk services and also locally in production at several large banks, hedge funds, and asset managers, facilitated by ORE’s founding authors at Acadia. ORE was developed as a free and open source platform for pricing and risk analytics of traded instruments, providing contemporary market and credit risk analytics that meet post-2008 heightened industry requirements.

Featured lecturers will include Scott Sobolewski and Roland Lichters, Acadia’s Co-Heads of Quantitative Services, and Felipe Cortes, D’Amore-McKim School of Business Associate Teaching Professor of Finance.

Roland Lichters said, “We’re thrilled to celebrate the power of open source technology recent advancements within ORE through our partnership with the D’Amore-McKim School of Business. Regulatory and structural changes have fundamentally transformed the financial services industry, creating unprecedented levels of complexity in the market. We firmly believe that having freely available, standardized tools to navigate such complexity should be accessible to all, which is why open source technology is so crucial. In crafting this course, we’ve kept the priorities of those in the quantitative finance space top of mind, offering unparalleled access to cutting edge derivatives pricing and risk technology through ORE.”

David Madigan, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Northeastern University added, “We believe this program is deeply embedded in Northeastern University’s commitment to unique lifelong learning opportunities and industry collaborations. We are confident that joining together with Acadia, and its experienced leadership team, the course will benefit participants across all stages of the career spectrum by engaging them in a challenging, yet stimulating, learning experience. We look forward to welcoming the future leaders of the derivatives market, ranging from recent graduates, quantitative analysts, financial engineers, risk managers, and more.”

Enrolment began Monday, September 4 2023, while the first cohort will begin Monday, November 6. The course will be taught through a flexible 8-hour-per-week commitment over six months, featuring six 4-week modules to focus on in-depth exploration of relevant industry topics.

Further cohorts will begin on Monday, April 1, 2024, and Monday, October 7, 2024.

*this is a non-degree, non-credit professional certification

Acadia, an LSEG Business, is a leading provider of integrated risk management services for the derivatives community, offering a centralized platform with real-time tools for risk, margin, and collateral management. Its open access model and comprehensive analytics solutions help firms manage risk efficiently while connecting market participants and infrastructure. Acadia is used by an extensive community of 3,000+ firms exchanging more than $1 trillion of collateral daily via its margin automation services.

Acadia is part of LSEG’s Post Trade Solutions division (PTS), which is reinventing the post-trade landscape by increasing efficiency, minimizing risk, reducing costs, and opening the doors to new possibilities for clients. By bringing together Acadia, Quantile, SwapAgent, and TradeAgent, PTS enables unrivaled collaboration to drive efficiency throughout the trading lifecycle. With a commitment to simplifying delivery and continuous innovation, PTS drives meaningful change for clients, partners, and the wider industry.

For more information, visit LSEG Post-Trade. Follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact.

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