Bachelor's Degree Requirement Waived for ACCA Members Seeking CMA Certification
HONG KONG and MACAU, Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The ICMA (Institute of Certified Management Accountants) Board of Regents, representing the certification division of IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), has voted to waive its usual bachelor's degree requirement for ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) members wishing to earn IMA's CMA (Certified Management Accountant) credential.
This is the latest outcome of a strategic partnership between IMA, the U.S.-based association of accountants and financial professionals in business, and UK-based ACCA.
The bachelor's degree waiver will allow all ACCA members around the world, regardless of background, access to IMA's CMA credential. ACCA members who would like to take advantage of obtaining a U.S. credential can earn the CMA after successfully completing the two-part CMA exam and satisfying the two-year experience requirement in a management accounting job role. This is a benefit to ACCA members who wish to have a U.S.-based credential or who wish to have additional recognition of their expertise in management accounting and access to practitioner tools exclusively focused on this role.
Jeff Thomson CMA, IMA president and CEO, said, "ACCA and IMA share consistent values, one of which is opportunity. This waiver offers a clear and tangible opportunity for all ACCA members. Both organizations recognize the value of certification and learning that comes through a rigorous exam process."
Helen Brand, Chief Executive of ACCA, said, "Our global strategic partnership with IMA was created with the aim of bringing benefits to our members. Our partnership agreement is based on ‘empowering accountants and financial professionals to drive business performance.' We welcome this new opportunity for our members specializing in management accounting roles and the enhanced recognition this can bring, especially for our many members who work for U.S.-headquartered corporates."
Further details about the CMA certification program can be found on IMA's website: www.imanet.org/acca
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About ACCA
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. As the first global accountancy body entering into China, ACCA now has over 22,600 members and 42,500 students, with 7 offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, and Macau SAR.
Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. We believe that accounting professionals bring value to economies in all stages of development. We aim to develop capacity in the profession and encourage the adoption of consistent global standards. Our values are aligned to the needs of employers in all sectors and we ensure that, through our qualifications, we prepare accountants for business. We work to open up the profession to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers to entry, ensuring that our qualifications and their delivery meet the diverse needs of trainee professionals and their employers.
We support our 154,000 members and 432,000 students in 170 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills needed by employers. We work through a network of 83 offices and centres and more than 8,500 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development.
About IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants)
IMA®, the association of accountants and financial professionals in business, is one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Globally, IMA supports the profession through research, the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) program, continuing education, networking, and advocacy of the highest ethical business practices. IMA has a global network of more than 65,000 members in 120 countries and 200 local chapter communities. IMA provides localized services through its offices in Montvale, N.J., USA; Zurich, Switzerland; Dubai, UAE; and Beijing, China. For more information about IMA, please visit www.imanet.org.
