AXIS Capital Holdings has announced the establishment of the AXIS Risk Management Academy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne. Under a five-year agreement with the university, AXIS will invest $1.5 million to fund the management of the academy and provide research opportunities and professional development for students interested in entering the risk management space.
“Through the AXIS Risk Management Academy, our goal is to help students understand the rich and exciting career opportunities that can be found in the insurance and reinsurance industry,” said Albert Benchimol, president and CEO of AXIS Capital. “We also wish to develop a new generation of professionals within the field in order to bring emerging ideas forward that will ensure the continual and effective management of risk in society. We are very pleased to grow our relationship with the University of Illinois, one of the top finance and actuarial schools and a leader in reinsurance research and education.”
The academy will work closely with the University of Illinois Office of Risk Management and Insurance Research. The academy’s inaugural class will begin in the spring 2018 semester.
“We are proud to expand our partnership with AXIS, a company that stands for leadership – both in the specialty reinsurance sector and as an organization committed to educating and training future risk management professionals,” said Jeffrey R. Brown, dean of the university’s Geis College of Business. “The academy will provide our students with invaluable educational and professional experiences, and will help them prepare for the professional world while better understanding the wide range of career options within the reinsurance industry.”
