Short courses for the Financial Crime Professional
Ian Messenger
In these COVID-19 times, many of us have taken a moment to focus on our own professional and personal development. This often comes at a financial cost; for many in the current climate there isn’t a development budget to undertake many of the certifications and courses being offered.
Several interesting - low cost and, in some cases, Free - courses have come to my attention and would be worth considering if you are looking to upskill your knowledge and/or refresh your resume:
ACAMS Fighting Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking certificate - “ACAMS has teamed up with the Liechtenstein Initiative for Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAST Initiative) to develop the first of its kind human trafficking certificate. Developed by industry leaders, this free online training aims to raise awareness about the financial footprints left by modern slavery and human trafficking and provides a framework to help mitigate and remedy these risks.”
Financial Crime Investigation and Report Writing - Almost 7.5 hours of content related to Investigative Best Practices and how to communicate the results through a well-written report. The course also looks at best practices in presenting findings to an audience.
Financial Crime Essentials - 17.5 hours of content covering a wide range of financial crime types including AML, Fraud, Bribery and Corruption.
Global Crime and Justice certificate (Wilfrid Laurier University) - “The Global Crime and Justice Certificate, jointly developed between the UNODC and Laurier, provides a series of online interactive courses designed to introduce key global challenges to lawfulness as designated by the UNODC.”
UN Global Compact Anti-Corruption Certificate - “Corruption is prevalent in Canada and around the world, your company must be ready to incorporate measures to combat this pressing international issue. As businesses and professionals that aim to succeed, it is crucial to understand anti-corruption laws and measures to mitigate reputational risks, and protect the interests of your stakeholders.
The Canadian network of the United Nations Global Compact is offering a certificate training program that includes 13 online training sessions, all instructed by industry experts to provide key learnings and practical tips to teach you how to develop an anti-corruption program from start to finish.”
Regulatory Compliance (UPenn - Coursera) - “Every organization faces a myriad of risks that can threaten its operations, reputation, and bottom line. A robust, effective compliance program can make the difference between companies that successfully navigate those risks, and those that become cautionary tales. This specialization will introduce the essential elements of effective organizational compliance by exploring the concepts, considerations, and strategies for assessing risks and managing the compliance function. You will learn the fundamental principles of effective compliance, the components of an effective compliance program and their applications, and then closely examine two of the most important areas of compliance in today’s business climate: privacy compliance, and anti-corruption. The insights from this program will be applicable to a wide range of different types of organizations, from private companies to non-profits.”
Global and Domestic Terrorism - “Since the shocking terrorist attack of 9/11 and subsequent terrorism plots and attacks in numerous countries, terrorism has become the world’s greatest security threat. As countries like Canada try to respond appropriately and effectively, it has become increasingly important to better “understand” the distinctive nature and causes of modern terrorism and the special challenges it poses to the security of societies like ours.
The course draws on the latest terrorism thinking and research from a variety of academic and other sources to develop a broad understanding of terrorism as a complex social phenomenon and a challenging domestic and global security problem.” Disclaimer - this is a course I teach.
ACAMS Webinars - Whilst the majority of ACAMS webinars are paid, there are a number of free offerings.
Toronto Compliance and AML Events - This group has a number of free webinars on a range of topics from Canada’s premier AML/Financial Crime talent. Don’t be fooled by the name, these events are open to all (not just those in Toronto).
If you have any recommendations of other offerings, do send me a message and I will update the list.