April 2021
Since its founding in 1904, ACCA has had a core value of facilitating a profession that is open to all. Inclusion, along with integrity and innovation, are now ACCA’s three core values, which link back to the unique reasons for the creation of ACCA more than a century ago.
In support of inclusivity, a new digital pathway from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) to its global accountancy qualification has been launched - called ACCA One - in partnership with award-winning learning provider Kaplan.
This digital offering means that people looking to become globally recognised qualified accountants in Chile, Colombia and South Korea can now do so entirely online with one easy to manage subscription. The subscription includes registration with ACCA, access to online tuition with Kaplan and the ability to take all ACCA’s exams online through remote invigilation.
Lucia Real-Martin, the Executive Director of Markets at ACCA says: “At a time where technology is reshaping the future of careers in accountancy, we are committed to developing the profession and preparing our future students to become the accountants of tomorrow. That’s why we’ve been working on making the ACCA qualification more accessible for everyone in [Country] with ACCA One”
The pilot looks to increase accessibility to not only the ACCA qualification but also to quality checked tuition to ensure students have the best possible chance of success.
The development is timely given findings from an upcoming ACCA report Groundbreakers: Gen Z and the future of accountancy that reveals Gen Z see accountancy as an attractive gateway to a good career with a positive image, with 46% say it offers long-term career prospects and 47% an opportunity to develop a broad range of skills.
91% of Gen Z respondents expect to update their capabilities continually to remain employable in the future, making professional qualifications, certifications, and membership even more attractive as ACCA champions life-long learning and continues to support members and future members throughout their entire careers.
Lucia Real Martin continues: ‘This pilot aims to help people become qualified accountants with a globally recognised professional qualification. All learning and exams are online and can be taken from anywhere giving the next generation the flexibility to choose when and where they want to study. This initiative has been made possible by our decision to introduce remotely invigilated exams in 2020 which allowed our students to still sit exams despite disruptions caused by Covid-19.
Tanya Worsley, Head of International Markets at Kaplan adds: 'Students will get a fully structured and supported course with interactive and engaging content and assessments in the style of the real exam with deadlines to keep them on track and personalised feedback. We also provide access to our dedicated academic support team who are available to answer questions on both weekdays and weekends. This is an innovative year-long pilot, which we hope will enable more to become qualified finance professionals.’
ACCA One also includes online resources such as tutor-led videos, practice questions, study materials and a downloadable integrated workbook. Students have access to all three levels of the ACCA syllabus – Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills and Strategic Professional, along with entrance to four online ACCA exams per year, which can be sat every three months.
Lucia Real Martin concludes: ‘Accountancy as a profession is clearly an attractive choice, with the chance to work in business large or small, in the public sector or as a self-employed consultant. The options are endless as every organisation, regardless of their sector or size, needs an accountant’s help and guidance.’
‘We believe that strong, ethical accountants are vital for economies to grow and prosper. Therefore, we will continue to work all over the world to build the profession and make society fairer and more transparent. ACCA One is an excellent option for those starting their ACCA journey, and we look forward to welcoming new students onto this digital pathway.’
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