Friday, March 31, 2006

Hold The ICAEW To Account

Dennis Howlett has suggested that the ICAEW should set up their own blog or public forum, where members of the ICAEW could post their views on issues that concern them and hold the ICAEW (in particular the executive) to account for their actions.

I think that this is a very good idea.

However, I don't think that it stands a cat in hells chance of happening.

The ICAEW, during the merger debacle, showed that they did not wish to be held to account; they most certainly did not respond to any of the emails that I sent them about the merger.

Do you really think that they will allow their actions and policies to be opened up to public debate and discussion, and openly engage with the membership?

Monday, March 20, 2006

CIMA Steals a March on The ICAEW

In January I noted that ACCA had pipped the ICAEW to the post by a year, by introducing an exam on ethics.

It seems that CIMA are also going down the same route. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants has launched revisions to its qualification, the Certificate of Business Accounting, which is designed to develop the fundamental skills and techniques.

This includes modules ranging from business economics and financial accounting through to ethics, corporate governance and business law.

Robert Jelly, Director of Education, emphasises the focus on ethics.

The ICAEW were to introduce their new syllabus this year, which included a separate exam on ethics, unfortunately owing to unspecified problems the new syllabus will not go live until 2007.

Monday, March 13, 2006

The Logical Paradox

Last year the leadership of the ICAEW were trying to persuade us that members of CIPFA and CIMA were our professional equals, and that we should merge into one body.

Having failed to push the merger vote through, this year they announce a new initiative to enable members of the ACCA, CIMA and CIPFA to qualify for membership; provided that they have at least five years of professional experience, and pass an entrance examination equivalent to the advanced case study set for ACA finalists.

Do these two policies not strike you as being somewhat contradictory?

How can in 2005 the ICAEW push for members of CIPFA and CIMA to merge with the ICAEW, without the need for an exam, yet this year they need to sit an exam?