Former FASEA head joins Deakin ahead of adviser exam

The current Deloitte partner for governance, regulation and conduct has joined the university’s ethics unit team, Deakin said in a statement.

Dr Sanders will hold a webinar on 6 June as well as deliver a four-day intensive version of Deakin’s ethics subject at the end of the year.

Deakin University associate professor Adrian Raftery said Dr Sanders is renowned as the one of the leading experts around ethics and professionalism and is delighted to have him join the ethics unit team.

“This is an honorary role so we are obviously ecstatic that someone of Deen’s calibre wants to come to Deakin and offer his services voluntarily,” Mr Raftery said.

“Feedback from advisers is that they want the opportunity to have at least part of their course delivered face-to-face, rather than all online, but they simply can’t commit to attending class every week.”

In preparation for the first FASEA exams, Deakin University said it is offering a number of free webinars, complimentary mapping and recognition of prior learning services, and innovative courses built by some of the nation’s leading financial planning academics.

It has also reconfigured its suite of postgraduate offerings, ranging from individual bridging courses in ethics, financial services regulation and behavioural finance through to a graduate certificate of financial planning, specifically tailored to advisers with relevant degrees needing to complete four units of study.

“There is a bit of nervousness amongst the financial advice fraternity as the reality of a new era of professionalism sets in, so we’re working hard to take some of that stress away,” Mr Raftery said.

“Deakin has provided financial planning education for more than three decades, so we are placed well to help advisers navigate through these new professional, ethical and education standards.”

Adrian Flores

Adrian Flores is a deputy editor at Momentum Media, focusing mainly on banking, wealth management and financial services. He has also written for Public Accountant, Accountants Daily and The CEO Magazine.

You can contact him on [email protected].