There is a splendidly robust article in today's Herald, trumpeting the success of the Scottish Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAS) in doubling its student membership in the last six years.
The article contrasts the success of ICAS with the failure of the ICAEW to respond to the needs of multinantionals, and its decline in student numbers.
Seemingly the majority of the rise in ICAS number is down to the fact that Ernst and Young put all of its students through the Scottish system five years ago. PWC and KPMG also followed suit with some of their students.
Des Hudson, the Scottish body's chief executive, is quoted as saying:
"The situation will continue as long as we remain of value and relevance (to the firms). But we don't expect it as a God-given right.."
Hudson then went on to say that ICAS is still waiting to hear more about the proposed merger between the ICAEW, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.
Seemingly ICAS is determined to thwart the plan to call the super-institute "The Institute of Chartered Accountants".
So there you have it, the merger proposal is merely an attempt to hide the fact that the fall in membership of the ICAEW is down to its lack of flexibility.
The merger proposal is a red herring, and should be dismissed ASAP.
If people feel that the ICAEW is relevant they will join.
Under the reciprocal membership arrangements between ICAS/ICAEW/ICAI it is not possible for an ICAEW member to transfer to ICAS, nor could that member take reciprocal ICAS membership and then resign from ICAEW without also losing ICAS membership.
ReplyDeleteSo, if ICAEW continue with their unreasonable choice of name then it is suggested that ICAS should consider taking power (at their sole discretion) to allow such transfer and resignation
ICAS have nothing to fear from a consolidation if it were to succeed - but it will flounder.
Let's have some comments - the mere suggestion of a poll to estimate how many ICAEW members would like the opportunity to tranfer to ICAS would .............
That's quite an interesting idea.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that ICAS would do that?
What do people think about trnasferring to ICAS if the ICAEW "wreck the brand"?
It would be good to get some feedback on this idea.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteI don't think it matters whether ICAS would do it; but it does matter that they don't annouce that they would not do it.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteWould you like to correct the spelling errors above and then delete this comment?
Sorry M
ReplyDeleteI can only delete comments, not edit them (not even my own).
If you re post, I will then delete previous.
Ken
Ken,
ReplyDeleteThat's fine about the spelling.
I would like to make two final points:
(a) I would be surprised if ICAS/ICAI would "continue" any reciprocal arrangement with those not ICAEW qualified.
(b) It's not a matter of "who cares" as much as "who matters" since those in power are determined to continue acting with reckless abandon until they are finally humiliated and have "destroyed" ICAEW but "strengthened" CIMA and CIPFA.