Our Sessional Research Programme provides our members and other stakeholders the opportunity to present and discuss research which advances actuarial science and complements the objectives of the IFoA. If you have an idea for a sessional meeting or would like to present your research please read Guidance for researchers.
Knowledge exchange
Our Sessional Research Programme also includes seminar series and our Spring and Autumn Lectures. The IFoA works with members and other stakeholders to identify and raise awareness of forthcoming policy issues that are relevant to actuaries and the IFoA and of public interest. Seminars which cover such issues may be included in the programme.
Our Spring and Autumn Lectures provide the opportunity to hear from a diverse range of eminent speakers on current subjects of public interest. The broad range of topics covered reflects our aim to nurture thought leadership and knowledge exchange.
Sessional Research Programme 2018/2019
Antibiotic Resistance Working Party
Sessional Research Meeting, 25 February 2019
- Members: Log in to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
The Genomic Underpinnings of Human Lifespan: Biology, Diseases and Prediction
Sessional Research Meeting, 21 January 2019
- Members: Log in to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
Sessional Research Programme 2017/2018
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Equity Release Mortgages (ERM)Sessional Research Meeting, 11 December 2018
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Allowing for climate-related risks when setting long-term financial assumptionsSessional Research Meeting, 26 November 2018
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Autumn Lecture: In investment how we describe long term?Sessional Research Meeting, 7 November 2018
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Cyber Operational Risk Scenarios for Insurance CompaniesSessional Research Meeting, 15 October 2018
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Improving the Success of Insurtech OpportunitiesSessional Research Meeting, 22 October 2018
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Sessional Research Event: Hot topics in Health and CareMonday 17 September 2018
- Members: Login to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
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Sessional Research Event: How Medical Advances and Health Interventions Will Shape Future LongevityMonday 25 June 2018
- Members: Login to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
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Sessional Research Event: Wearable Technology and Antibiotic Resistance Working PartiesMonday 18 June 2018
- Members: Login to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
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Sessional Research Event: Actuarial Methods: Are we Serving the Public Interest?Monday 21 May 2018
- Members: Login to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
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Sessional Research Event: Self-selection and Risk Sharing in a Modern World of Life-Long AnnuitiesMonday 14 May 2018
- Members: Login to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
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Spring Lecture 2018Monday 23 April 2018
- Members: Login to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
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Life Insurance at the CrossroadsSessional Research Meeting, 5 March 2018, Chair Alan Watson
- Members: Login to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel
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Sessional Meeting adresssing the evolution of economic scenario generatorsSessional Meeting, 26 February 2018 by the Extreme Events Working Party
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A Cashless Society - Benefits, Risks and IssuesSessional Research Event Monday 22nd January 2018
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Funding defined benefit schemes: an integrated risk management approachSessional Research Meeting, 13 November 2017
Chaired by Charles Cowling, Hannah Fisher, Jignesh Sheth, Murray Wright. -
Health and Care hot topicsSessional Research Meeting,6 July 2017
Chaired by Nick Reilly, this sessional event showcased a series of short research papers on hot topics in health and care, while providing ample time for discussion and debate -
Model risk: Illuminating the Black BoxSessional Research Meeting, 29 June 2017, Edinburgh
Winners of the Peter Clark prize for their research paper, Model Risk: Daring to open the Black Box the Model Risk Working Party will present their Phase 2 findings, Model Risk: Illuminating the Black Box -
Do customers understand our life insurance products?Sessional Research Meeting,19 June 2017, in London
This paper is the culmination of the work of the Risk and Customer Outcomes Working Party which was set up to consider whether customers adequately understand the risks and outcomes associated with life insurance products, how to avoid poor (or indeed maximise good) customer outcomes and finally to consider ongoing risk management through the product life cycles from a customer perspective -
A review of Solvency II - has it met its objectives?Sessional Research Meeting,8 May 2017, in Edinburgh
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Spring 2017. Antimicrobial resistance: Global threat to health and economyThought Leadership Lecture given on 27 April 2017, in London, by Professor Dame Sally Davies
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How can the IFoA help individuals to make better retirement choices?Sessional Research Meeting, 24 April 2017, Edinburgh. Presentation by the Rationale in Retirement Behaviour Working Party, sponsored by the Pensions Board, which has created an interactive tool which aims to help individuals to make more informed retirement income decisions.
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IRM - Putting theory into practice for UK DB Pension SchemesSessional Research Meeting, 20 March 2017, at Staple Inn, London. Presented by members of the Integrated Risk Management Working Party: Andrew Hitchcox (chair), Chinu Patel, Chris Ramsey, Ed Studd, Lok Ma, Marian Elliott, and Tim Keogh
Executive Summary:
The Working Party has developed some practical hints and tips for those developing Integrated Risk Management (IRM) plans for UK Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes in the context of the requirements of the Pensions Regulator (TPR). -
The future of Solvency II in the UK. Treasury Select Committee debrief and Working Party updateDual-site Sessional Research Meeting, 23 January 2017, at Staple Inn, London, and the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh. Speakers: Andrew Chamberlain, Chair, Life Board, and the IFoA's representative at the Treasury Select Committee
- Members: Log in to view the video on the VLE and claim CPD
- Non-members: View the video on the IFoA's YouTube channel, or
- View a recording of the full session on Parliamentary TV
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Sustainable retirement solutions - are there any durable solutionsSessional Research Meeting, 12 December 2016, at Staple Inn, London. Speakers: Marcus Hurd (Xerox HR Services), Jenny Richards (BBS Consultants and Actuaries) and Dr Iain Clacher (Leeds University)
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Autumn Lecture 2016. Exploring a new relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Vicky Ford MEPThought Leadership Lecture given on 7 December 2016, in Edinburgh
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Ersatz model testsSessional Research Meeting, 27 June 2016, at Staple Inn, London. Speakers: Andrew D Smith, Deloitte; Stuart Jarvis, Black Rock; James Sharpe. Meeting chaired by Paul Fulcher, Chair, Life Research Committee
Abstract:
This paper describes how statistical methods can be tested on computer generated data from known models. We explore bias and percentile tests in detail, illustrating these with examples based on insurance claims and nancial time series.
Contact Details
If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspect of our funding for member-led research please contact the Research and Knowledge Team:
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Events calendar
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Dr Catherine Donnelly will present the basics of the structures for pooling longevity risks and summarise recent research results in this area in addition to outlinging future research around this topic. This is work under a research programme funded by the IFoA's Actuarial Research Centre, called 'Minimizing longevity and investment risk while optimising future pension plans'. -
Professional Skills Training Webinar - 21 April 2021
21 April 2021
Climate-Related Risk - This free to view webinar on Climate-Related Risk is the first in a series focusing on some of the ‘Hotspots’ identified in the JFAR Risk Perspective bringing the Risk Perspective to life with practical illustrations and insights from subject experts from the IFoA and other Regulators -
Recent decades have seen institutions, such as employers and financial services, give people more choice and flexibility, but these freedoms have come with more responsibilities. Individuals are now responsible for managing more of their own financial risks, from ensuring they put enough money into their pension to securing affordable protection to be financially resilient.
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Actuarial Innovation in the COVID-19 era
This event is online.26 April 2021 - 7 May 2021
Join us for this brand new IFoA webinar weries comprising of a fortnight of webinars, panel sessions and a hackathon, that showcase the range of ways in which the actuarial profession has added value, in the public interest, to the understanding and management of the current and future pandemics through insight and learning. -
This event is now temporarily closed on Monday 26 April, but the session will be repeated on Tuesday 27 April, 09.00-10.30. Please click here to register your place.
Actuaries have a lot to offer biodiversity management over the next decade as the world develops more depth to its response to this global challenge. This sessional offers an opportunity to learn about this emergent risk, to contribute to our thinking as a profession and help us develop the next steps forward.
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Europe Town Hall
28 April 2021
IFoA Immediate Past President John Taylor would like to invite you to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ (IFoA) virtual Europe Town Hall, hosted by John Taylor with IFoA Council Members Alan Rae, Jennifer Hartley, Maribel Vasquez Flores and IFoA Chief Executive, Stephen Mann.
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Mis-estimation risk is a key element of demographic risk, and past work has focused on mis-estimation risk on a run-off basis. However, this does not meet the requirements of regulatory regimes like Solvency II, which demands that capital requirements are set through the prism of a finite horizon like one year. This paper presents a value-at-risk approach to mis-estimation risk suitable for Solvency II work -
Finance & Investment Virtual Conference 2021
Available to watch globally in May.10-12 May 2021
This year's Finance and Investment Virtual Conference takes on the timely theme of ‘resilience’, something we have all learnt a lot more about in the last year! Our diverse range of talks will explore the theme of resilience in a variety of ways including in building robust investment portfolios, in the incorporation of ESG factors, in govern -
Wearables in insurance: a win-win opportunity
14 May 2021
This talk will explore the potential benefits that wearable tech can bring to health & protection insurers and their customers. The traditional approach of integrating wearables into insurance has largely focused on measuring steps and using rewards-based incentive programs to encourage more activity. -
Join us for this talk with Professor Sir Adrian Smith as part of the 'Dr Patrick Poon Presidential Speaker Series'. Professor Smith joined The Alan Turing Institute as Institute Director and Chief Executive in September 2018. In November 2020, he became President of the Royal Society, in addition to his leadership of the Turing. He is also a member of the government's AI Council, which helps boost AI growth in the UK and promote its adoption and ethical use in businesses and organisations across the country. He received a knighthood in the 2011 New Year Honours list. -
CILA 2021
Available to watch globally in May.19-21 May 2021
We continue to live in a world of global uncertainty. Survival depends on our ability to simultaneously navigate through the diverse root-causes, ranging from: the consequences of Climate Change; on-going financial consequences of the COVID pandemic; or self-imposed changes in regulatory requirements and accounting standards. -
Pensions Conference 2021
Online webinar series16-22 June 2021
Welcome to the programme for our 2nd Virtual Pensions Conference. This year's conference features 11 webinars offering members and non-members the opportunity to get up to date content from leading experts in the pension industry. There will also be opportunity to ask questions and contribute to the discussion.
Dr Catherine Donnelly will present the basics of the structures for pooling longevity risks and summarise recent research results in this area in addition to outlinging future research around this topic. This is work under a research programme funded by the IFoA's Actuarial Research Centre, called '
Climate-Related Risk - This free to view webinar on Climate-Related Risk is the first in a series focusing on some of the ‘Hotspots’ identified in the 
Join us for this brand new IFoA webinar weries comprising of a fortnight of webinars, panel sessions and a 
Mis-estimation risk is a key element of demographic risk, and past work has focused on mis-estimation risk on a run-off basis. However, this does not meet the requirements of regulatory regimes like Solvency II, which demands that capital requirements are set through the prism of a finite horizon like one year. This paper presents a value-at-risk approach to mis-estimation risk suitable for Solvency II work
This talk will explore the potential benefits that wearable tech can bring to health & protection insurers and their customers. The traditional approach of integrating wearables into insurance has largely focused on measuring steps and using rewards-based incentive programs to encourage more activity.
Join us for this talk with Professor Sir Adrian Smith as part of the 'Dr Patrick Poon Presidential Speaker Series'. Professor Smith joined The Alan Turing Institute as Institute Director and Chief Executive in September 2018. In November 2020, he became President of the Royal Society, in addition to his leadership of the Turing. He is also a member of the government's AI Council, which helps boost AI growth in the UK and promote its adoption and ethical use in businesses and organisations across the country. He received a knighthood in the 2011 New Year Honours list.
Welcome to the programme for our 2nd Virtual Pensions Conference. This year's conference features 11 webinars offering members and non-members the opportunity to get up to date content from leading experts in the pension industry. There will also be opportunity to ask questions and contribute to the discussion.