Tech Faculty sets out plans for 2020

Richard Anning, Head of the ICAEW Tech Faculty, looks at the tech highlights and concerns in 2019 and ahead to an exciting programme in the new year.

December 2019

The past year has been another busy year of transformation and development, signified by our change of name to the Tech Faculty to more accurately reflect our role in the new environment, and the new Tech News service.

The main concerns expressed by members this year include the following. Do they resonate with you?

• The on-going impact of automation on their business/practice (and losing relevance).
• Keeping their staff adequately skilled (and keeping their staff).
• The growing reliance on technology and the need to keep current/keeping up-to-date (just think MTD, for example)

In response to these concerns, the Tech Faculty has delivered a programme of activity to help members respond to these issues. Highlights include:

• The Tech Essentials guides, covering topics like data analytics and the treatment of crypto currencies.
• The biggest programme of faculty member exclusive webinars, which can be listened to live or after the event, on topics such as practice automation and cyber hygiene (and enhanced by YouTube videos on the ABCDEs of technology).
• All of this informed and enhanced by thought leadership and public policy work, such as the recent report and lecture on the impact of ethics on new technology.

Coming up in 2020

The Tech Faculty has a full programme of work for 2020, which has been reviewed and approved by our hard-working faculty Board. Highlights include:

• Ongoing support to equip members for the digital transformation of the profession, including work on data analytics, cyber and the pricing of services.
• The impact of technology in audit.
• Support for our various industry forums including cyber and MTD.
• Industry-leading thought leadership work on the assurance of new technology and automation practices in finance functions.

We are excited for the opportunities 2020 will bring members of the profession and look forward once again to keeping our members and subscribers ahead of the technology curve.

We along with the other ICAEW Faculties, are strongly committed to enhancing your continuing professional development.

This article first appeared in Tech News.

If you are interested in upgrading to full membership, please visit icaew.com/jointechfac or if you are ICAEW member, look out for the Tech Faculty on your ICAEW subscription renewal notice. Tech Faculty membership includes access to the Excel Community, Chartech, technical publications and our fortnightly e-bulletins.

If you have any questions about faculty membership, please mail us at techfac@icaew.com.

Richard Anning is Head of CIAEW Tech Faculty. Contact him at richard.anning@icaew.com

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