ACCA goes into competition with AAT

ACCA’s decision to launch its own technician-level qualification will confuse students and divide the profession, the Association of Accounting Technicians has warned.

The certifieds’ association has been heavily criticised for not discussing its plans with the AAT, which has offered qualifications for support staff in accounting and finance since 1980.

ACCA’s new nine-paper exam, which students will be able to sit for the first time in June 1998, will be in direct competition with the AAT’s vocational qualification.

The AAT was set up in 1980 when ACCA co-sponsored the new association with three of the UK’s other accounting bodies. The Scots ICA joined in 1986, completing the unification.

AAT president and Smith & Williamson partner John Newman said he was ‘saddened’. ‘There’s always been cooperation between the accounting bodies over AAT. We’ve avoided the petty squabbles and turf wars we’ve seen elsewhere.

‘We can only interpret this as direct competition, not that we are afraid of that. We are in the dark over what it is trying to do, but we would welcome any discussion. We have tremendous experience it can learn from.’

The English ICA’s education and training director, Phil Armitage, added: ‘We were surprised, especially as ACCA is a sponsoring body. We hadn’t realised it was planning this – it all seems a bit odd. But ACCA has always maintained it’s in the business of providing access to accountancy qualifications.’

ACCA’s education director Mike Walsh defended the association’s decision to break away, revealing a take-up target of 10,000 students over the next three years. He rejected claims that it was ‘poaching’ AAT students.

‘The AAT chose to move away from an exam-based syllabus to vocational training, leaving a huge gap worldwide,’ Walsh said.

‘It’s a competitive market place. If we hadn’t moved in somebody else would have. It’s all part of our strategy to develop a one-stop shop for accountancy qualifications. The technicians’ exam extends our exam base down to the first level.’

ACCA TAKES EXCEPTION TO PLAGIARISM

ACCA has won an injunction banning the beleaguered Irish accountancy body the Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants from plagiarising its exam syllabus.

Dublin’s High Court placed the restraining order on the tiny association, which has just 300 members, on Monday.

The IIPA hit back, claiming the certifieds’ association was acting like a ‘playground bully’.

ACCA accused the IIPA of copying material from old syllabuses. ACCA and other Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies in Ireland members have been campaigning to overturn the IIPA’s official recognition.

ACCA’s chief executive Anthea Rose said: ‘The syllabus was plagiarised material must call into question the integrity of IIPA and its suitability to be entrusted with the important task of regulating the conduct of its members in the public interest.’

IIPA Council member Brendan Dennehy retorted: ‘Isn’t it wonderful. They are agreeing that we have the same education standards as they do. It’s an own-goal. Their attacks on us are quite relentless. They are playground bullies.’