GARP partners with NAL Academy to strengthen risk and finance education ecosystem in India
The Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), a professional association for risk management, has announced a strategic partnership with NAL Academy Limited (NAL), formerly known as NSE Academy Limited of the National Stock Exchange of India, to expand access to industry-relevant education pathways in India’s risk and finance sector.
The collaboration aims to address the rising demand for skilled risk and compliance professionals in India’s banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector by strengthening training in areas such as financial risk management, artificial intelligence (AI) risk, cybersecurity and financial analytics.
As part of the partnership, GARP and NAL will jointly develop an educational offering that integrates GARP’s Risk and AI (RAI) Certificate with NAL Academy’s newly launched Cybersecurity Bootcamp. The programme is designed to help learners build practical skills to address AI model risk, cyber threats and other non-financial risks, which are increasingly important for banks, financial institutions, corporates and regulators.
The joint programme will cater to a wide range of participants, including early-career professionals, senior risk and finance leaders, technology and cybersecurity practitioners, as well as university students preparing for careers in global financial markets and risk management. The courses will be delivered through blended, virtual and self-paced formats to improve accessibility across the country.
Rich Apostolik, President and CEO of GARP, said organisations in India and globally are becoming more vulnerable to non-financial threats such as cybersecurity breaches and generative AI model risk as they adopt new technologies. He added that the collaboration with NAL Academy is an important step in supporting upskilling in AI risk and governance, aligning with GARP’s educational mission and the Reserve Bank of India’s FREE-AI framework.
India’s financial services sector has seen rapid adoption of digital technologies, AI and data-driven decision-making, increasing the need for professionals capable of managing emerging non-financial risks.
Abhilash Misra, Managing Director and CEO of NAL Academy Limited, said the partnership will bring global risk management expertise to India’s talent ecosystem and help equip learners with practical skills in AI, cybersecurity and non-financial risk management. He added that combining GARP’s frameworks with India-specific market practices will help develop a workforce prepared to address evolving challenges in the BFSI sector.
