AIA LAUNCHES NEW STREAMLINED PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION FOR ACCOUNTANTS AND AUDITORS

AIA, the professional body for international accountants and auditors, has launched its new professional qualification.

Following extensive research and development, the qualification focuses on the ever-changing landscape of accountancy, business and finance, setting out the knowledge, behaviours and values that underpins today’s accountants and helps professionals to thrive in their career.

Qualification Structure

The qualification structure has been streamlined, reducing the number of exams from 16 to 10 for those taking the accountancy route and from 17 to 11 for those wishing to qualify as a statutory auditor, making it quicker to qualify, more accessible and affordable.

The Foundation Unit examines four key subjects for finance professionals (Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Corporate Governance & Audit and Business Management) and is assessed through a single multiple choice online exam.

Professional Level 1 builds upon the knowledge gained at the Foundation Unit and comprises 5 papers: Financial Accounting and Reporting 1, Principles of Governance and Audit, Management Accounting, Business Law for Accountants and Taxation (UK and international variants).

At Professional Level 2 there are 5 papers, where candidates critically examine: Financial Accounting and Reporting 2, Developments in Assurance and Accountability (Islamic option is available), Business and Financial Management, Ethics and Professional Practice, and Multi-disciplinary Case Study. For those on the accountancy route there are optional papers at this level and students can choose to study either Developments in Assurance and Accountability or Business and Financial Management.

The new qualification provides professionals with skills and knowledge they can apply directly to their daily roles and tasks as well as a greater emphasis on professional ethics through the inclusion of a standalone paper at Professional Level 2. The new qualification is also fully accessible, with students able to choose whether to study entirely online with AIA Achieve Academy, or through a combination of online and face-to-face teaching.

AIA President, Shahram Moallemi, said: “We are excited to launch the new AIA professional qualification which will equip accountants with the skills and tools needed to thrive in the changing world of finance. The streamlined qualification offers an exciting new route to qualification with an increased emphasis on core skills and ethics to support accountants in their careers.”

AIA Qualification Benefits

AIA’s new professional qualification offers:

• A quicker, more affordable route to becoming a qualified accountant or statutory auditor.
• Increased focus on the wide range of business and finance skills needed by practitioners.
• Greater portability of skills between business sectors through optional papers.
• Greater accessibility. Students can choose between studying online from any location, or through a combination of online and face-to-face teaching.
• Online assessment throughout the qualification.
• Stand-alone paper in ethics to enhance critical thinking in relation to professional ethics.

The AIA Professional Qualification will take between six months to three years to complete, depending on existing qualifications and experience. 

Find out more about the changes

“We are excited to launch the new AIA professional qualification which will equip accountants with the skills and tools needed to thrive in the changing world of finance. The streamlined qualification offers an exciting new route to qualification with an increased emphasis on core skills and ethics to support accountants in their careers.”