Bulletin Survey

With a decade of experience with the modern Bulletin and a new lead to it, we took the opportunity in summer 2025 to ask the SAA members for feedback on the magazine’s current status and future direction. The recently completed survey paints a revealing picture of the Bulletin’s readership, their preferences, and what the future may hold for this valued publication. This Blog represents a condensed version of the insights, at the end we like to get your feedback on some decisions where we received mixed feedback.

Who Reads the Bulletin?

The survey's 114 responses provide a representative sample of the association's membership. Strikingly, the majority of participants are aged between 41 and 50, followed by the 31-40 age group. While younger readers (20-30) are still a minority, this underlines that the Bulletin's audience consists mainly of seasoned professionals - but new entrants are steadily joining as well.

On the question of gender, the field remains predominantly male, with 81 men, 30 women, and 3 identifying as "Other." Promoting diversity and inclusion remains a central goal.

Membership Trends

A look at the data on association membership reveals a clear trend: after slow growth in the 1980s and ‘90s, the number of new members surged after 2010. In fact, nearly two-thirds of all survey participants have joined in the last fifteen years. This pattern shows that the association is not only growing, but also successfully attracting new generations of actuaries to its ranks.

Sectors and Qualifications

The professional backgrounds of survey participants are varied: most work in insurance, followed by reinsurance, consulting, health insurance, and other sectors. More than 90% of respondents are fully qualified actuaries. This diversity helps the Bulletin function as a cross-industry platform for sharing knowledge and perspectives.

What Works and What Needs Improvement?

When it comes to content, updates from working groups and congratulations to newly qualified actuaries were rated highest by readers. “Soft articles,” such as behind-the-scenes looks at group activities or casual features, also scored well. Interviews and more technical articles were received positively, while the president’s annual report drew moderate interest.

A key finding relates to language barriers—several readers reported difficulty when articles appear in a language they do not speak. Starting next year, the Bulletin will introduce mandatory summaries in the article’s original language for all key contributions. This move should let every reader at least get a quick overview and, if needed, use a translation tool.

Looking Abroad for Inspiration

Multiple participants suggested looking at international actuarial magazines for new ideas—without copying content directly, of course. To broaden our perspective, the Bulletin team will be reviewing publications from the UK, US, Germany, and France.

Future Directions

Several suggestions and questions will be addressed in the editorial board’s 2026 kick-off meeting. Should the Bulletin be shorter overall? Should the long-standing “focus theme” structure remain, or would alternatives serve readers better? Opinions are split—about 40% want to keep the structure, while another 40% would prefer to drop it. The team emphasizes they are eager for more feedback – please use the comment area below as well as the polls on this blog to raise your voice! 

What Motivates Readers?

Respondents’ strongest motivations for reading the Bulletin include engaging articles, updates about SAA activities, and—a pleasant surprise—the appealing visual and photo content. The publication helps make the association more tangible and personal for its members.

Conclusion

The survey clearly shows the Bulletin remains a key forum for information and dialogue. Planned changes will be carefully considered with broad input, as the survey—while valuable—represents less than 10% of all Bulletin recipients. The editorial team looks forward to even more community voices shaping the future of the Bulletin.