CA ANZ, CPA Australia and ACCA Accreditation for ICMS Accounting Degree

Professional accounting bodies Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), CPA Australia, and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) have accredited the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting), with no conditions.

This means that upon completion of the degree, ICMS graduates will be able to enter CA, CPA, ACCA professional level programs directly and immediately register as associate members.

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) represents more than 131,673 financial professionals; CPA Australia has a membership of 170,826 members in over 100 countries and regions, supported by 19 offices globally. ACCA has more than 241,000 fully qualified members and 542,000 future members worldwide in 178 countries with more than 110 national offices globally.

These organisations represent accounting excellence and integrity, and membership to either body opens professional and career doors for graduates.

“This is a strong endorsement of quality from industry for our Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree; and will enhance our students’ employability through our comprehensive and embedded work integrated learning program and after graduation,” ICMS CEO Rowan Courtney-O’Connor said.

The meticulous and technical process of accreditation was led by Marcela Hertnekyova, ICMS Senior Program Manager (Accounting and Accreditation).

Marcela has over 10 years of academic and leadership experience in both vocational and higher education sector in Australia. Her qualifications include a Master of Accounting, Master of Finance, Banking and Investments, Bachelor of Finance, Banking and Investments, Graduate Diploma in Education, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. She is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Gallup Strength Coach and a member of The Institute of Management Accountants and The Project Management Institute.

She has progressed her career from lecturer to dean, most recently focusing on course development and accreditation projects. Prior to her career in education, Marcela spent multiple years in the financial services and accounting field, working for large corporates as a management accountant, corporate analyst, portfolio analyst and financial adviser.

“ICMS is committed to ensuring excellence in accounting education via industry focused curriculum and innovative teaching practices. We have worked closely with the accounting professional bodies to ensure high quality outcomes for our graduates across both technical and professional competency areas. Big thank you to CPA and CA ANZ accreditation leads, Maurice Cheong (Head of ACCA, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania) as well as our fantastic team at ICMS. It would not have been possible without all of you,” Marcela said.

In the process of gaining accreditation of the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree, Marcela was assisted by Kim Kimberly, Dr Ilja Nastjuk, Meth Mevan, Nadeem Tahir, Jane Wholohan, Dr Jae Won Kang, Luisa Arango and Dr Heman Swarna.

The group effort within tight time frames has paid off for the next student cohort to enrol in the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) who, upon graduation, can take their careers to the next level within the accounting field.

The Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree provides an accounting specialisation in a broader business context. As the accounting profession adapts to evolving expectations, it is crucial students balance specialist business and accounting technical skills with professional skills, enabling them to make an impact in a range of complex, global environments.

A key differentiator of the ICMS accounting degree compared to other accounting degrees is the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) industry training component built into the three year degree. On graduation, ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) students would have undertaken an internship at any one of ICMS’ over 1000 industry partners. This work experience at industry partners such as Ubisoft, BT, Wobi and Titan Group Services, among others, gives ICMS accounting graduates an advantage within a competitive industry.

The ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting) is part of a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees offered at leading higher education institute, ICMS. Located in picturesque Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW, and in the bustling city of Sydney, ICMS offers a career-focused tertiary education that, in the case of the Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree, sets them up for their future as professionals and leaders in their field.

For more information on ICMS, click here.

For more information on the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Accounting), click here.

For more information about CPA Australia, click here.

For more information about Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), click here.

For more information about ACCA, click here.