Course co-ordinator(s): Carmen Boado Penas (Edinburgh).
Aims:
The aims of this course are:
- To provide a good understanding of the risks and uncertainties facing the parties involved in pension provision
- To provide a thorough understanding of actuarial models used in the management of pension schemes
- To provide an understanding of risk management in pension schemes, including the use of reinsurance
- To provide an understanding of how to monitor the experience of pension schemes
Detailed Information
Course Description: Link to Official Course Descriptor.
Pre-requisite course(s): F71PC Pensions A .
Location: Edinburgh.
Semester: 2.
Syllabus:
Risks and Uncertainties
- Benefits and Contributions
- Returns on Assets
- Security
- Risk Management including Reinsurance
Population Projections
- Models and their Weaknesses
- Socio-economic Factors
Models
- Objectives
- Features
- Uses
- Sensitivity Analyses
Managing a Social Security Scheme
- Evaluating Liabilities
- Assessing Contributions
Valuation of a Pension Scheme
- Selecting Assumptions
- Calculating Values for Benefits, Contributions and Assets
- Applying Results
- Analysing Asset-Liability Matching
- Analysing Surplus or Deficit
Discontinuance
- Determining Benefits
Learning Outcomes: Subject Mastery
On completion of this course the student should be able to:
- Describe the risks and uncertainties affecting benefits, contributions, returns on assets and security
- Describe the process of population projection and its main determinants
- Discuss the use of actuarial models for decision making purposes in non-state pensions
- Discuss the application of actuarial methods and techniques to the financial management of a social security scheme
- Discuss the principles behind the determination of assumptions for valuing future benefits and contributions
- Discuss the principles behind the determination of discontinuance terms in respect of benefits
- Discuss how to determine values for assets, future benefits and future contributions
- Discuss the application of actuarial methods and techniques to the financial management of defined contribution pension schemes
- Analyse the asset-liability matching requirements of a provider of pensions and related benefits
- Discuss the principles underlying the use of re-insurance
- Identify the sources of surplus/deficit for a benefit provider
- Explain why and describe how the actual experience of a pension scheme should be monitored and assessed
Learning Outcomes: Personal Abilities
- Show an appreciation of the interface between academic theory and industrial practice
- Demonstrate the ability to learn independently and as part of a group
- Manage time, work to deadlines and prioritise workloads
- Present results in a way that demonstrates that they have understood the technical and broader issues of the pensions environment
- Show an appreciation of the various potential conflicts between pensions stakeholders
SCQF Level: 11.
Credits: 15.
Other Information
Help: If you have any problems or questions regarding the course, you are encouraged to contact the course leader.
Canvas: further information and course materials are available on Canvas