Engaged Actuarial Education

Friday, 11 July 2025

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Venue: Gaia Lecture Theatre 3 (#ABS-02-LT3) 

Chairperson: Asst Prof Jinggong Zhang

Abstract

As the actuarial profession evolves, so must the way we teach it. This session explores how we can design actuarial education that’s not only technically rigorous, but also responsive, forward-looking, and socially relevant. We’ll look at how to adapt curricula to reflect emerging market trends, such as expanding beyond traditional insurance, addressing new types of risk, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Just as importantly, we’ll consider how we can help students see the broader impact of their work, by promoting the profession to the public, engaging younger generations, and highlighting the social value of actuarial thinking.

Throughout, we’ll connect these themes with practical strategies for active learning, communication skill-building, and assessment design, ensuring students are not only prepared for exams, but for the future of the profession.

About the Speaker

Diana Skrzydlo is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Waterloo in Canada, and the current Math Faculty Teaching Fellow. She has been teaching since 2007 and has spoken widely on innovative teaching and assessment techniques, including in Indonesia with the READI project. From 2019-2024 she was the Director of the MActSc program. She won the SAS department teaching award in 2016, the Faculty of Math Award for Distinction in Teaching in 2019, and the University Distinguished Teacher Award in 2023. Internationally, she was the recipient of the Robert V Hogg award for Excellence in Teaching Introductory Statistics in 2023 and the first Society of Acutuaries Outstanding Educator Award in 2024. She has a BMath (2006) and MMath (2007) from UW, and achieved her ASA designation from the Society of Actuaries in 2018, where she has volunteered as a member of the Education & Research Section council, an Advanced Actuarial Mathematics exam grader, and on the Fundamentals of Actuarial Practice modules committee.