Description: Significant progress has been made in transforming the actuarial profession but it remains untransformed. Universities have been instrumental in training future actuaries and this article is about how the University of Cape Town has been addressing transformation in the actuarial program. The school system in South Africa has struggled to produce the required quality and quantity of school leavers prepared for higher education. This has led to universities having to develop ways to manage this problem. The article discusses the effectiveness of some of the initiatives introduced at UCT.

Description: An update to the risk management readers on what the JRMS is planning to do over 2023 to serve its membership.

Description: Article discussing the SOA’s plans for growth.

Description: A brief overview of last year's Education & Research Section Council work, accomplishments and challenges from its outgoing chair.

Description: #1 Best Selling Author and Keynote Speaker Erik Qualman has performed in 55 countries and reached 50 million people. His Socialnomics work has been on 60 Minutes to the Wall Street Journal and used by the National Guard to NASA. His book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling. What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube helped Qualman be listed by Forbes and Fortune as a Top 100 Digital Influencer. His business books are used in over 200 universities and he has received an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work. How to Sell on LinkedIn is becoming mandatory reading for sales teams. Qualman was formerly a sitting professor at Harvard & MIT’s edX labs. Qualman is also the inventor of the bestselling board game Kittycorn.

Description: This session is an in-depth interview of Amanda Hug and Micheline Dionne, president of the SOA and past-president of the International Actuarial Association (IAA), respectively. SOA is the largest professional society for the actuarial profession, and the IAA represents actuaries from over 100 countries. We’ll touch on topics such as AI, the future of work for actuaries, DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), among others. At the conclusion of the session, the attendees would be able to get a better understanding of the strategic directions of both organizations and how each plans to navigate its perceived challenges and opportunities. Interviewees: Amanda Hug, FSA, MAAA, Director at WTW, incoming president of the SOA Micheline Dionne, FCIA, Past-President of International Actuarial Association (IAA) Interviewer: Jing Lang, FSA, FCIA, President of Deepwork Academy and host of the Be Brilliant with Jing Lang podcast.

Description: This session will explore the considerations and best practices for developing AI tools that are useful, safe, and transparent for actuarial work. While large language models (LLMs) offer exciting possibilities, it is crucial to understand when and how to use them effectively. The session will cover key concepts of LLMs and case studies on developing AI tools for retrieval-augmented generation and summary creation of actuarial documents. Attendees will learn about the importance of designing workflows that nudge users towards safe and effective processes. By the end of the session, participants will gain insights into the responsible use of LLMs in actuarial practice and learn how to leverage their potential to support professional growth.

Description: The article describes a new professional experience course in actuarial science at the University of Toronto, including details on its key building blocks and student assessments. It also discusses different teaching modes (in-person vs. online). It should be of interest to institutions looking to add industry internships and experiential learning into their actuarial education.

Description: In this article, I give a few notes as the outgoing chair of the Education and Research Section Council.