The Literate Investor Essentials

Learn How Professional Investors Think

A free investment education programme designed to help individuals make more informed long-term investment decisions.

Created by Shoaib Akhtar, CFA, the programme introduces the principles, frameworks and disciplines used by professional investors.

What you’ll receive:

✓ 8 structured learning modules

✓ Knowledge checks throughout the programme

✓ Final The Literate Investor Essentials Assessment

✓ Certificate of Completion

✓ Self-paced online learning


Who is this Programme for?

The Literate Investor Essentials Programme is suitable for:

  • Private investors seeking greater confidence in managing their own investments.
  • Students exploring careers in finance, investment management or wealth management.
  • Career changers looking to build a solid understanding of investing.
  • Financial advisers, paraplanners and support staff seeking broader investment knowledge.
  • Early-career investment professionals wishing to strengthen their understanding of portfolio construction and fund selection.

By the end of the programme, you should be able to:

✓ Understand how professional investors think about risk, diversification and asset allocation.

✓ Evaluate funds, ETFs and investment trusts more confidently.

✓ Distinguish between sound investment processes and short-term market noise.

✓ Avoid common behavioural mistakes that can damage long-term outcomes.

✓ Assess investment performance in a more disciplined and informed manner.

✓ Develop a framework for making better long-term investment decisions.

What You’ll Learn

Module 1 – Why Investing Matters

Objectives, inflation, compounding and long-term wealth creation.

Module 2 – Understanding Asset Classes

Cash, bonds, equities and alternatives.

Module 3 – Funds, ETFs & Investment Trusts

Understanding the key investment structures.

Module 4 – Active vs Passive Investing

When active management may add value and when passive may be appropriate.

Module 5 – Risk, Volatility & Diversification

How professional investors think about risk.

Module 6 – Asset Allocation & Portfolio Construction

Building portfolios rather than selecting products.

Module 7 – Measuring Investment Success

Benchmarks, alpha and performance evaluation.

Module 8 – Professional Mindset & Behavioural Finance

The behavioural mistakes that can damage long-term outcomes.

Welcome to The Literate Investor Academy.