ICAEW, a world leader in the accountancy and finance profession on 29 October celebrated the achievements of newly qualified ICAEW Chartered Accountants and the success of the first batch of Malaysian graduates from an innovative programme that gives school leavers access to the finance, accountancy and business profession.
19 students were awarded certificates for completing the internationally recognised premium ICAEW Chartered Accountancy qualification, the ACA, during the ceremony held at the KL Convention Centre on 29 October. In addition, 64 students from the inaugural Certificate in Finance, Accountancy and Business (CFAB) programme were awarded their certificates by ICAEW President Clive Parritt FCA,
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Mr Parritt, said: “This is a memorable day for ICAEW and the graduates. Their hard work and determination has paid off, and the qualifications that they have obtained are recognised and respected across the world”.
“The training both ACA and CFAB graduates have undergone is rigorous and of the highest standard. They have taken important steps on their journey to join our elite group of over 136,000 ICAEW Chartered Accountants globally. It is this type of talent Malaysia needs to help the country continue to grow and prosper.”
The CFAB programme was first launched in 2008 in the UK as a stand-alone business qualification, providing essential knowledge in the fundamentals of finance, accountancy and business. in 2009, Sunway University College formulated an innovative programme which was especially designed to provide school leavers in Malaysia a route to the ACA qualification. Since then, 78 CFAB students have been offered training contracts with the largest accounting firms in Malaysia. Tuition for the ACA and CFAB programmes are provided in Malaysia by Sunway-TES.
“In addition to celebrating the 19 newly qualified Chartered Accountants, today is a significant celebration for our first cohort of 64 CFAB graduates who came to us as fresh school leavers. I am proud that Sunway-TES is the first and only institution in Malaysia to provide this unique CFAB pathway to ICAEW’s Chartered Accountancy qualification for school leavers,” said Mr. Teo Ee Sing, Executive Director of Sunway-TES.
“Since 2004, we have bagged a total of eight World Prizes for best exam scores globally, a result of our team of very dedicated academic staff at Sunway-TES combined with the commitment and effort put in by the students.”
To qualify as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, students must complete at least 450 days of practical work experience with an Authorised Training Employer (ATE). Several new ATEs, including Malaysia Stock Exchange Bursa and Sime Darby, the country’s leading multinational conglomerate, were also welcomed to the ICAEW during the ceremony, joining more than 2,200 ATEs around the world.
Also recognised during the day of celebrations were Malaysia’s first Global Inspiration Award winner and seven recipients of Sunway-ICAEW’s Special Award for Malaysia Public University Graduates. Beyond demonstrating academic excellence, these exceptional students were selected for their active involvement as leaders of their respective accounting societies or for their contributions outside of class-work.
Kwong Sze Hui and Teh Qian Yuen were also honoured for doing Malaysia proud by winning prizes for achieving the highest score internationally in their Financial Accounting papers.
“Malaysian students have consistently scored very highly in their exams, outperforming students in other parts of the world,” said Loh Wei Yuen, Head of ICAEW Malaysia. “This shows the high calibre of Malaysian students, as well as the support and expertise of our university partners, Authorised Training Employers (ATEs), and Malaysian ICAEW Chartered Accountants.”
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