A new course, 'Foundation Diploma' for aspiring finance professionals has been launched in Pakistan by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The Foundation Diploma provides essential knowledge and skills for those students who have completed Intermediate, Matriculation or O' levels and a clear entry route onto ACCA's main accountancy qualification called the ACCA Qualification.
While, talking to media at launching ceremony of "Foundation Diploma" here on Tuesday head of ACCA Karachi Rehan Uddin said that new ACCA Foundation Diploma had seven exams plus the Foundations in Professionalism online module and provide an opportunity to become an accountant to those students, which don't have accounting background.
"ACCA welcomes all students from diversified field as it has launched recently the 'ACCA Foundation Diploma' to provide the basic education to students having no background of financial education so they could try their luck in the advance field of accountancy which paves the way towards bright career," he added. Students will be expected to take all seven exams to gain the Foundation Diploma and will then be eligible for the ACCA Qualification. With computer-based exams available all year, and paper exams twice a year, the Foundation Diploma student could complete the entire Diploma in less than 12 months, he briefed.
The country needs competent and professional accountants to increase the productivity of corporate sector and public sector entities and ACCA is providing this service in a professional manner, he said. Rehan said the qualified ACCA professionals are acceptable throughout the world where they can find a handsome opportunity to work. Presently ACCA certified professionals are highly preferable at foreign and national private firms due to high standards of qualification, he added. "ACCA focuses on professionals of corporate sector in order to enhance their efficiency at their organisations," he said.
There are various courses developed for professionals who are already working at reputable organisation but the professional education of ACCA bring them an opportunity to excel in their field and achieve goals of their careers as earlier as possible with professional knowledge and competence, Rehan said.
He informed that presently some 18 institutes are affiliated with ACCA Pakistan. "The number of students' enrolment has been on the rise steadily in the 12 years of ACCA's operations in Pakistan despite the fact there are a number of universities offering business education and various accountancy education," he added. Rehan said that ACCA have also scholarship program to support the students.
The speakers at the launch included Deputy CFO, Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) Muhammad Shehzad Yousuf, and Commercial Manager Supply Chain Finance, Unilever Pakistan Limited Imtiaz Jaleel. Both speakers emphasised the need for a strong foundation from employment, career and learning perspective and endorsed the new Foundation Diploma as a great opportunity for aspiring finance professionals.
Key note Speaker, Director Operations Exams British Council, Nasir Bhatti, spoke about the ACCA examination system and the role of British Council plays in maintaining integrity of ACCA examinations. Stuart Dunlop, Regional Director MENASA, Dr Afra Sajjad, Regional Head of Education MENASA was also present at the event.