Welcome to the weekend. Here’s some news for your reading enjoyment:

- Skills: The Qatar Investment Authority plans to set up a training academy to hone Qatari youth’s financial skills.

- The Fee Machine: The rebel alliance is gaining traction, but the Empire continues to warn people not to underestimate the power of the Dark Side

- In-Sourcing: Four out of five asian pension plans will run more of their assets in-house in the future.

- Governance: The IFSWF has adopted a three year plan focused on the adoption of the Santiago Principles.

- Human Resources I: Japan’s $1.2 trillion GPIF has hired its first CIO from mainstream private equity. It’ll be a PE feeding frenzy.

- Human Resources II: AIMCo taps former Pyramis head to succeed Leo de Bever as CEO.

- Back To School: Temasek puts $5 million directly into a fund operated by Tel Aviv University’s technology transfer group.

- Innovation: Kuwait’s National Fund for SMEs signed an MOU with the American Techstars network to launch a local SME incubator.

- Playing Defense: In order to avoid front-running algos, Norway’s SWF is dropping all algos of its own “...to avoid pattern-reading.”

- Rainy Days I: Kazakhstan is now using its National Fund to prop up the local economy with falling oil prices.

- Rainy Days II: As oil revenues decline, Iran looks to its National Development Fund as a buffer for the local economy.

- Rainy Days III: Russia is going to change the legal structure of its National Welfare Fund so it can help prop up local banks.

- Selfie: Sovereign development funds are increasingly relevant to the mainstream investment community. Seriously.

Have a great weekend!