ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) today takes a major step forward in shaping the future of accountancy by unveiling major innovations to its Master’s level qualification, tailored to meet the strategic challenges of the 21st century’s disruptive economy.
ACCA’s new ground-breaking design of its qualification draws on an extensive, two-year review and consultation with members, employers and learning providers.
Helen Brand OBE, chief executive of ACCA, says: ‘We’re updating the ACCA Qualification to give students the forward-thinking strategic abilities and advanced skill-set required of modern professional accountants who will shape the future of global business.’
New developments
ACCA’s latest innovations to its qualification are new Strategic Professional exams which will replace the existing Professional level exams in September 2018 and a new Ethics and Professional Skills module, which will be introduced in 2017.
The redesign enhances the breadth and depth of the qualification, with greater focus on employability and the practical application of core skills in the contemporary workplace and includes:
- Strategic Business Leader – an innovative case study exam, based on a realistic business scenario. This gives students the skills and technical expertise required by modern business where decisions need to be made, measured and effectively communicated to the wider organisation.
- Strategic Business Reporting – a new exam exposing students to the wider context of finance and business reporting, giving them the vital skills needed to explain and communicate to stakeholders the implications of transactions and reporting.
- An Ethics and Professional Skills module – making modifications to the existing ethics module which ACCA was the first professional body to offer to students in 2008. This new module will equip them with the professional skills that are needed in the modern workplace.
Added to these developments, ACCA also offers the world’s first Master’s degree integrated with a professional accountancy qualification, delivered in partnership with the University of London. This unique arrangement means students can take the Master’s route while completing their Strategic Professional exams, or take the Master’s degree after the ACCA Qualification.
Sajjeed Aslam, Head of ACCA Pakistan at the launch event in Pakistan highlighted, ‘The ACCA Qualification is the only professional accountancy qualification which combines local relevance with international best practice. This means that our members are able to work at the highest level in any industry in any sector. In a globalised world this unique feature offers a real edge and benefit to employers.’
The chief guest Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha at the launch event stated, ‘ACCA is recognised as an organisation with a reputation for innovation, vision and leadership in the profession. Churning out professionals with strong ethical grounding will in turn help business grow and the economy flourish.’
About ACCA
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. It offers business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.
ACCA supports its 188,000 members and 480,000 students in 178 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 100 offices and centres and more than 7,110 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.
Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. It believes that accountants bring value to economies in all stages of development and seek to develop capacity in the profession and encourage the adoption of global standards. ACCA’s core values are aligned to the needs of employers in all sectors and it ensures that through its range of qualifications, it prepares accountants for business. ACCA seeks to open up the profession to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers, innovating its qualifications and delivery to meet the diverse needs of trainee professionals and their employers. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com
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