Bangladesh

Accountancy Age reports that a deal has been made between the ICAEW and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) wrt developing the profession.

"Both will look at examining requirements allowing members of one body to access the other."

I assume that any inter institute membership, if it occurs, will be structured in such a way as to ensure that the brand value of the ICAEW qualification will not be diluted.

In From The Cold

Ernst & Young will take ICAEW students again, having abandoned the ICAEW at the turn of the century in favour of ICAS.

However, Ernst & Young will continue to use ICAS.

Gerson Lehrman News

Off topic, I write articles covering business issues for Gerson Lehrman News, and am an Accounting & Financial Analysis Council Member (AFA Council Members include CFOs, former top regulatory body officials, partners from the world's leading accounting firms, academics, forensic accountants, and other financial executives).

The news articles can be accessed via this link Gerson Lehrman News.

Online Community

Accounting Web reports that the ICAEW is to launch a new online community for accounting students.

The site will offer information and guidance on relevant topics to support ACA and CFAB students, as well as containing a forum where members can swap tips and network. Membership will be open to all ACA or CFAB students, including those outside the UK.

Good idea, when will there be an online community for qualified members of the ICAEW?

Update: I stand corrected, it seems that there are some non student communities; evidently I have either been asleep for the past few months, or ICAEW did not publicise these very well.

The list of communities can be accessed via this link www.ion.icaew.com

Madden Leaves

Accountancy Age reports that Dr Raymond Madden, executive director for learning and professional development of the ICAEW, is leaving his post this week without warning.

His duties have been taken on by Mark Protherough, director of learning and professional development at the institute.

The sudden departure was, seemingly, unexpected.

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Diluting The Brand

A fellow member of the institute wrote to me today, voicing his fears over the dilution of the ICAEW brand wrt less demanding entry requirements for members of the profession who qualified in India and Pakistan.

"I recently discovered that ICAP(Pakistan) members just need to pass ICAEW 4 papers to become ICAEW members. Moreover ICAP members do not need to undergo any training with ICAEW ATO.

In past (until last wk) ICAP members needed to pass ICAEW 4 papers plus undergo 2 yrs training with ICAEW ATO to become ICAEW member, but now ICAP members do not need to undergo any training.

I do not know why ICAEW is giving its membership of other institutes members in this way. If ICAEW does not want other institute's members to undergo any training in ICAEW ATO (which is main strength of ICAEW), then I have to say merger with ACCA is a better option....

ICAEW has given more relaxation to ICAI(India) members."

Anyone from Moorgate care to comment?

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Wake Up!

Today (19 March 2009) I received an ICAEW Alert, on which was a link to Michael Izza's blog where he wrote a piece about HMRC customer service levels (dated Friday 13 March).

Here is an extract:

"Due to the Select Committee's timescales, the Tax Faculty is working to a very tight deadline and needs the survey completed by 9.30am Monday 16 March 2009."

Can you spot the problem here?

Yes, that's right, the deadline has long since passed!

Why alert us to a survey, that many memebrs of the ICAEW would have happily contributed to, after the deadline?

Elected To Serve?

I can appreciate that Tony Lomas has been a wee bit too busy recently to attend ICAEW Council (absent for six meetings in a row).

However, given that he evidently has other more pressing commitments, please could he explain why he wishes to remain on council?

The purpose of council, wrt the membership of the ICAEW, is what precisely?

See Accountancy Age for the background to this.