New Delhi, 11 March 2026: Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) has announced a strategic partnership with NAL Academy Limited, formerly known as NSE Academy Limited, to expand access to industry-relevant education and strengthen India’s risk and finance talent ecosystem.
The collaboration is aimed at addressing the growing demand for skilled professionals in risk management, compliance, and financial analytics across India’s BFSI sector. By aligning globally recognised risk certifications with India’s regulatory and market requirements, the partnership will focus on critical areas such as artificial intelligence risk, cybersecurity, and broader non-financial risk management.
As part of the initiative, GARP and NAL Academy will jointly develop learning pathways that combine GARP’s globally recognised Risk and AI (RAI)™ Certificate with NAL Academy’s newly launched cybersecurity bootcamp. The integrated programme is designed to help learners build practical capabilities to address emerging challenges such as AI model risk, cyber threats, and other operational and governance risks increasingly faced by financial institutions and corporates.
The programmes will cater to a wide range of learners, including early-career professionals, senior risk and finance leaders, cybersecurity practitioners, and university students preparing for careers in financial services and global markets. The courses will be delivered through blended, virtual, and self-paced learning formats to enable broader accessibility across India.
Commenting on the partnership, Rich Apostolik, President and CEO of GARP, said that as organisations increasingly adopt advanced technologies to drive operational efficiency and growth, they also face greater exposure to non-financial risks such as cybersecurity breaches and generative AI model risk. He noted that the collaboration with NAL Academy represents an important step in supporting industry upskilling in AI risk and governance, aligning closely with evolving regulatory priorities such as the FREE-AI Framework promoted by the Reserve Bank of India.
Echoing the sentiment, Abhilash Misra, Managing Director and CEO of NAL Academy Limited, said the partnership will bring global risk management expertise into India’s talent ecosystem and equip learners with practical, application-oriented skills in AI, cybersecurity, and non-financial risk management. He added that combining GARP’s global frameworks with India-specific market practices will help develop a future-ready workforce capable of addressing the evolving challenges of the BFSI sector.
The partnership comes at a time when India’s financial services industry is rapidly embracing digital technologies, data-driven decision-making, and AI-enabled operations. As financial institutions continue to modernise, the need for professionals capable of managing emerging technological and operational risks has grown significantly. By combining GARP’s global leadership in risk standards with NAL Academy’s expertise in practitioner-led education for Indian financial markets, the collaboration aims to strengthen the country’s risk, compliance, and governance capabilities in line with global best practices and India’s evolving regulatory landscape.
About NAL Academy Limited:
NAL Academy Limited, formerly known as NSE Academy Limited, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India. The organisation focuses on building the next generation of BFSI and fintech professionals through industry-aligned certification and capacity-building programmes. Its courses are developed with strong industry inputs and delivered in collaboration with leading universities and institutions across India. NAL Academy also promotes financial literacy as a key life skill, contributing to financial inclusion and long-term economic development.
