Sol Plaatje University’s (SPU’s) School of Economic and Management Sciences recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to strengthen relationships between the two institutions. The groups are working together to ensure the accreditation and standardisation of SPU’s qualifications with the professional body, to enable SPU students to be qualified according to international standards, affording them the opportunity to be employable globally.
ACCA is a global body for accounting professionals that is tapping into non-metropolitan universities to expand and enhance its footprint and create access and transformation of the accounting profession by providing students from rural backgrounds with support and access to education.
During the deliberations Ms Portia Mkhabela, Head of ACCA South Africa, Botswana and Remotely Managed Markets, informed the SPU attendees of ACCA’s application process in obtaining accreditation with the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) to become the second professional body to have auditing firms practice in this area of expertise. She advised that the application has been submitted and a decision will be announced by the end of March 2023.
ACCA, through its core values of inclusion, integrity and innovation, strives to provide students with the strategic abilities and advanced skillset modern accountants need to shape the future of global business. With a growing network of 536 000 future members in 178 countries, ACCA connects students and members with organisations around the world to ensure they are enriched with resource-sharing that empowers them in finding rewarding and interesting careers. ACCA currently has two distinct designations that enable it to address the education barrier and accessibility of accounting, namely Certified Accounting Technical (CAT) – SAQA NQF level 5, and Chartered Certified Accountant – SAQA NQF Level 8.
In addition to the above, this strategic partnership includes the following prospects:
- A commitment by ACCA to demonstrate and contribute skills sets and broaden the access and support to historically disadvantaged institutions with resource hubs;
- SPU to be a learning provider for the FASSET/ACCA Silver Learning Programme;
- SPU lecturers to serve as mentors to the Northern Cape Premier candidacy programme; and
- A partnership with other accredited universities.
Dr Ricardo Peters, Head of Department for Accounting and Economics at SPU, spoke on the importance of universities, especially SPU, forming strategic partnerships with professional bodies such as ACCA, to work towards changing the socioeconomic environment in terms of poverty, unemployment, and inequality in the communities it serves. Dr Peters expressed his enthusiasm for SPU to partner with ACCA.
The SPU university management signed a MoU to solemnise the relationship and to ensure that students obtain degrees in specialised areas, such as accounting in this instance, through professional industry body accreditation. This will significantly enhance the employability of SPU graduates both locally and globally.
