Current research activities

The IFoA places the advancement of actuarial science at the heart of its activities by commissioning and funding research that:

  • advances actuarial science as a subject
  • supports industry practitioners
  • helps inform evidence-based public policy development

Cutting edge Actuarial Research Centre (ARC) research projects have produced interesting outputs addressing some of the key challenges in actuarial science.

Find out more on:

Modelling measurement and management of longevity and morbidity risk

Using big health and actuarial data for understanding longevity and morbidity risks

Minimising longevity and investment risk while optimising future pension plans

Behavioural finance

Future research activity

Over the next few years the IFoA has identified two additional areas it would like to research:

Economic modelling

Actuarial practitioners have traditionally utilised conventional economic theory to identify the approach to adopt in economic and financial issues. The experience of the 2008 economic and financial crisis challenged conventional economic tools, with other schools of economic thought brought into sharp focus.  In the first instance, a survey of current practice amongst actuarial practitioners has been commissioned, with a view to undertaking a wider research project later.

More on economic modelling

Equity release mortgages

The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) and the Association of British Insurers (ABI), through the Actuarial Research Centre (ARC), has recently commissioned a research project on Equity Release Mortgages: No Negative Equity Guarantee. The call for tender closed on 7th September 2018. Read the call document

 More information on this jointly commissioned research project will be available shortly.

Periodical Payment Orders

Periodical Payment Orders (PPOs) are a significant feature of insurers' and reinsurers' balance sheets already. PPOs are having an impact on the UK insurance and reinsurance industry and on pricing and capital modelling efforts of GI actuaries. In the first instance, a feasibility study will be carried out which will: a) lead to the compilation of mortality tables for lives who have suffered the types of traumatic injury that give rise to PPO awards and b) Identify the most appropriate health database(s) that can be used to compile these tables, e.g. the THIN and/or CPRD GP data sets.

More information on  the PPOs project will be available shortly.

Further reading, videos and audio recordings:

IFoA Actuarial Knowledge Hub and electronic resources

Resources in the IFoA eLibrary are available to members and affiliates who login using their IFoA website credentials. Member users then join the IFoA Actuarial Knowledge Hub, an integrated search resource that can assist with study, research and Lifelong Learning. (The Actuarial Knowledge Hub is free for all to search, with a login at the top enabling IFoA members to access full text in search results.)

The Hub brings together several distinct sources of research in actuarial science in one search:

  • the online journals and ebooks available to IFoA members
  • the IFoA library catalogue and its 20,000 records of pronted books and resources and over 30,000 abstracts and references to journals worldwide, built up over many decades by library staff
  • the catalogue includes rare books and historic pamphlets collected by the Insitute and Faculty since their formation - a unique archive devoted to the origins and development of actuarial science
  • thousands of relevant references from research databases across the world

Find out more about the full range of library services, both online and on-site. 

To support Lifelong Learning, keep abreast of current actuarial work and its impact.

Increase your knowledge and awareness of current topics in these areas:

The IFoA's Actuarial Knowledge Hub, Library Catalogue and Subject Search offer prepared searches to find recent publications across the practice areas.

Keep up to date in scholarly research by reading the IFoA's journals:

Recent event:

Actuarial Research Centre -  2018 Webinar Series    

Following the successful launch of the 2017 ARC webinar series, the IFoA ran a further successful series in 2018 to once again showcase its most cutting edge research programmes addressing some significant challenges in actuarial science. Details of the 2018 webinars are available on the ARC webinar page.  Recordings are available to view now on the IFoA’s on line resources web page for members and the ARC's YouTube channel for non-members.

Want to stay up to date with the latest in ARC and IFoA research? View our ARC webpages, and sign up for our quarterly newsletter by e-mailing research@actuaries.org.uk.

Lifelong Learning and Continuing Professional Development

When this learning is relevant to your work or role and addresses a personal development area, this can also be used to meet your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements.

Review the CPD Scheme requirements

Events calendar

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