Applicants are able to complete the Master in Finance and prepare for the CFA® Program at the same time. This combination places successful students in an advantageous position when seeking to enter the Finance industry or enhance their careers. However, this certification is not mandatory for the MIF but is available to all participants who consider it relevant for their future careers.
The MIF at CATÓLICA-LISBON provides detailed guidance and training in preparation for the CFA® examinations. The courses are structured to specifically cover all the Learning Objectives needed to successfully satisfy the CFA® requirements.
More and more, the global investment community recognizes the value and rigorous training of the CFA® certification as an important element in hiring and promotion decisions. The CFA® Program sets a globally recognized standard in competence and integrity for financial analysts, investment bankers, portfolio managers, investment advisers and other Finance professionals worldwide.
In October 2008, the CFA® Institute, the global association and investment professionals that award the prestigious CFA® designation, named CATÓLICA-LISBON as its first University Affiliation Program in Portugal. This was a high achievement which reflects the school’s strong reputation in research.
The partnership aligns the Master in Finance Program with the CFA® Program Candidate Body of Knowledge® syllabus.
Most Common Occupations of CFA® Charterholders:
- CEO/Principal
- Corporate Finance
- Investment Banker
- Chief Investment Officer
- Investment Firm Manager
- Equity Analyst
- Portfolio Manager
- Fixed Income Analyst
- Sales/Marketing Professional
CATÓLICA-LISBON won the first two editions of the CFA Institute Research Challenge in Portugal. This is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis.
| Team 2024 | Team 2015 | Team 2016 |
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The team made up of students from the MSc in Finance of the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics was the winner of the national competition of the CFA Institute Research Challenge 2021, which took place last February 25, among several schools in Portugal –FEP, ISEG, Nova SBE, ISCTE - qualifying as the only Portuguese team to represent Portugal in the European semifinal of the competition, which will take place on the 13th and 14th of April.
The CATÓLICA-LISBON team, made up of students Christian Gahrens, Yann Lelong, Bernardo Garcês, Bernhard Schmits and Giovanni Verde, analyzed and evaluated SONAE financially, as well as the multinational's investment risks and ESG criteria (Environmental, Social and Governance ), under the guidance of Professor José Tudela Martins, gaining experience in the real world as they took on the role of research analysts. Each student was assessed for their analytical, assessment, reporting and presentation skills.
CATÓLICA-LISBON students will compete with teams from Cyprus, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, Greece, Israel, Istanbul, Italy and Serbia in the European sub-regional semifinal. The winner will be qualified for the European final, culminating in the global final, which takes place on April 20 and April 22, respectively.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a global competition that takes place every year, promoted by the Chartered Financial Analysts Institute, which offers university finance students practical guidance, intensive training in financial analysis and the possibility of contacting the best professionals in the sector . This year the competition took place virtually in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
David Adão Alves
Next Edition | 20th Edition
Starting March 2026
Ending July 2027
Schedule:
Friday (6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
Saturday (9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.)