Accountancy institutes to develop new qualification

Codenamed ‘Project Miami’, the project aims to develop a new qualification which would ‘complement’ existing qualifications in accountancy, law, finance, management consulting and IT.

It is envisaged the proposed qualification would enable professionals from a wide range of disciplines to build on their traditional skills and expertise, helping them provide a broader range of globally-relevant services to clients, customers and employers.

The accountancy institutes involved in Project Miami, named after the city where an initial meeting about the venture was held, include the English, Scots and Irish institutes of chartered accountants.

The others are the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand.

The task force will be initiating discussions with members of the professions including accountancy, law, finance, management consulting and IT in order to attract interest and support for the initiative.

Robin Hamilton Harding, former CFO of Bell Canada, has been appointed to lead the task force. Commenting on its formation, he said:’We intend to examine the possible creation of a new business qualification which would enable professionals to seize the opportunities presented by an increasingly globalised economy and the demand for more integrated approaches to business this brings.’

Welcoming the creation of the task force, John Collier, secretary general of the English ICA, said:’I am delighted that the institute is a member of this new task force. The Institute’s membership already has a huge world-wide presence and we are ideally positioned to bring a real degree of expertise to the table.’

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