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Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Global professional organization

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Summary

Global professional organization

FieldValue
imageACCA logo.svg
captionACCA logo
logo_captionACCA logo
abbreviationACCA
formation
statusChartered
purposeEducation and training of members
headquartersLondon, United Kingdom
region180 countries
membership257,900
leader_titlePresident
leader_nameAyla Majid
leader_title2CEO
leader_name2Helen Brand
main_organCouncil
revenue£ 238.7 million (2024)
expenses£ 224.8 million (2024)
staff1,358
students530,100
website
footnotes
ACCA advertisement on a Hong Kong tram

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is the global professional accounting body offering the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification (CCA). Founded in 1904 as the London Association of Accountants, it is one of six chartered accountancy bodies in the UK and Ireland, with over 750,000 members and students in 180 countries. ACCA was granted a Royal Charter in 1974.

ACCA's recognised qualification of Chartered Certified Accountant is a legally protected term. Individuals who describe themselves as Chartered Certified Accountants must be members of ACCA and if they carry out public practice engagements, must comply with additional regulations such as holding a practising certificate, carrying liability insurance and submitting to inspections.

Under its charter, ACCA's principal objective is advancing the science of accountancy, financial management and related subjects. It also aims to "advance and protect the character of the profession of accountancy" as well as to "promote the highest standards of competence, practice and conduct among members."

History

ACCA traces its origin to 1904, when eight people formed the London Association of Accountants to allow more open access to the profession than was available through the accounting bodies at the time, notably the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). As of 2020, the vision of ACCA is to develop the accountancy profession the world needs.

Key dates in ACCA history include:

  • 1909: Ethel Ayres Purdie is elected as the first female associate member of an accounting professional body.
  • 1917: London Association of Accountants is the first UK professional body to examine tax.
  • 1930: London Association of Accountants successfully campaigned for the right to audit companies.
  • 1933: London Association of Accountants renamed to London Association of Certified Accountants.
  • 1939: Corporation of Accountants (Scottish body, founded 1891) merged with London Association of Certified Accountants to become the Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants.
  • 1941: Institution of Certified Public Accountants (founded 1903, and incorporating the Central Association of Accountants from 1933) merged with Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants.
  • 1971: Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants renamed Association of Certified Accountants.
  • 1974: Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth II.
  • 1974: ACCA became one of six founding members of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB).
  • 1977: ACCA became a founding member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).
  • 1984: Association of Certified Accountants renamed to Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.
  • 1995: ACCA members voted at an extraordinary general meeting to rename itself Association of Chartered Public Accountants and to introduce the designation Chartered Public Accountant. The Privy Council subsequently rejected this proposal over concerns about the term 'public'. It did however agree that any accountancy body bearing a royal charter could use 'chartered' as part of its designation.
  • 1996: Chartered Association of Certified Accountants renamed to Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. Members are entitled to use the title Chartered Certified Accountant (Designatory letters ACCA or FCCA). The Association of Authorised Public Accountants (AAPA) became a subsidiary of ACCA. The organisation earned its first Queen's Award, for Export Achievement.
  • 1998: ACCA's syllabus formed the basis of the United Nations' global accountancy curriculum titled Guideline on National Requirements for the Qualification of Professional Accountants, published in 1999. ACCA was a participant in the consultative group that devised this global Benchmark.
  • 2001: ACCA received a Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade, recognising ACCA's growth and its role in 160 countries worldwide.
  • 2002: ACCA received its second Queen's Award for Enterprise in the space of 12 months, in the Sustainable Development category. The award recognized ACCA's continuing work on social and environmental issues.
  • 2009: ACCA members allowed to provide probate services as of 1 August under Probate Services (Approved Bodies) Order 2009 Number 1588.
  • 2011 onward: ACCA is the first accountancy body to publish an integrated annual report.
  • 2014: ACCA members and student numbers reached 600,000 worldwide.
  • 2015: ACCA launched MSc in Professional Accountancy with the University of London.
  • 2016: ACCA formed a strategic alliance with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ).
  • 2017: ACCA reached over 700,000 members and students worldwide, with 208,000 fully qualified members and 503,000 students in 178 countries. The AAPA was absorbed into the ACCA.
  • 2018: ACCA introduced Strategic Professional – a new level of the ACCA Qualification.
  • 2020: ACCA announces its commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • 2025: ACCA announces redesign of qualification for a redefined accountancy profession.

Qualifications

art deco]] Adelphi building from the 1930s, located at 1-10 John Adam Street in London, is the current HQ of ACCA

The term Chartered Certified Accountant was introduced in 1996. Prior to that date, ACCA members were known as Certified Accountant. It is still permissible for an ACCA member to use this term. Members of ACCA with post-qualification experience of more than five years and have completed the required continued professional development are designated Fellows, and use the designatory letters FCCA in place of ACCA.

The term Chartered refers to the Royal Charter granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Chartered Certified Accountants work in all fields of business and finance. Some are engaged in public practice work, others work in the private sector and some are employed by government bodies.

Since Chartered Certified Accountant is a legally protected term, individuals who describe themselves as such must be members of ACCA. If they carry out public practice engagements, they must comply with additional regulations such as holding a practising certificate, being insured against any possible liability claims and submitting to inspections.

ACCA offers the following certifications:

Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA)

Chartered Certified Accountant is the professional body's main qualification. Following completion of up to 13 professional examinations, three years of supervised, relevant accounting experience and an ethics module, it enables an individual to become a Chartered Certified Accountant. The ACCA professional examinations are offered worldwide four times yearly in March, June, September and December as paper-based and computer-based exams. On-demand computer-based exams (CBE) are also offered for the first four exams (BT, MA, FA, LW), and Session CBEs for the rest (PM, TX, FR, AA, FM) which are available to be taken at ACCA licensed exam centres. A Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Applied Accounting (after completing the Fundamentals level of the exams, the Ethics and Professional Skills module and submitting a Research and Analysis project), is offered in association with Oxford Brookes University.

From September 2018 onward, the syllabus comprises 13 examinations and an Ethics and Professional Skills module (EPSM), although some exemptions are available. In April 2019, a Data Analytics unit was added in EPSM .

The qualification is structured in three modules, plus an Ethics and Professional Skills module and a Professional Experience Requirement (PER).

Disciplinary proceedings

ACCA students, affiliates and members are bound by ACCA rules and regulations. ACCA is able to take disciplinary action (such as revoking ACCA qualification or exacting a fine) against them if they breach ACCA rules. ACCA rules and regulations are governed by English and Welsh law and ACCA disciplinary decisions can only be challenged in England and Wales.

Global qualification partnerships

Through partnerships with professional institutions, ACCA offers students and members access to other related qualifications.

Academic qualifications

  • BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting, with Oxford Brookes University. Oxford Brookes Business School (OBBS) announced on its website that the BSc Applied Accounting will not be available after May 2026.
  • MSc in Professional Accountancy, with the University of London
  • Global MBA, with Oxford Brookes University (accelerated for ACCA)
  • Public Policy and Management offering from SOAS, the University of London

Professional qualifications and other accreditations

  • Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT) with the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT)
  • CMA (Certified Management Accountant) program with Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
  • Certificate in Treasury (CertT) qualification with Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT)
  • Membership of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI)
  • Chartered Manager Award with Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
  • Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification with the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
  • Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification with the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) (UK only)
  • Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) Management (Pakistan only)
  • Certified Fraud Examiner with Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) in USA
  • The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI)

Representation worldwide

ACCA is represented on many committees and bodies around the world, including the following:

  • Accountancy Europe (formerly FEE)
  • Africa Capacity Building Foundation
  • ASEAN Federation of Accountants (AFA)
  • Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA)
  • Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB)
  • Eastern, Central and Southern African Federation of Accountants (ECSAFA)
  • European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (UEAPME)
  • European Financial Reporting Advisory Group
  • Fédération des Experts Comptables Méditerranéens (FCM)
  • Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
  • IFAC Board
  • IFAC International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)
  • IFAC International Public Sector Accounting Board
  • IFAC Professional Accountants in Business Committee
  • IFAC Small and Medium-Sized Practices Committee
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC)
  • Inter-American Accounting Association (IAA)
  • International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)
  • International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC)
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
  • Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA)
  • Professional Accountancy Organization Development Committee (PAODC)
  • South Eastern European Partnership on Accountancy Development (SEEPAD)
  • The Conference Board Europe
Country/RegionOrganisation
AmericasInteramerican Accounting Association
ArgentinaFederación Argentina de Consejos Profesionales de Ciencias Económicas
ArmeniaAssociation of Accountants and Auditors of Armenia
AzerbaijanChamber of Auditors of Azerbaijan Republic
BahamasBahamas Chamber of Commerce and Industry
BarbadosBarbados Small Business Association
BelizeInstitute of Chartered Accountants of Belize
BotswanaBotswana Institute of Accountants
BrazilInstituto dos Auditores Independentes do Brasil
BruneiBrunei Darussalam Institute of Certified Public Accountants
CambodiaMinistry of Economy and Finance
CanadaCertified General Accountants' Association of Canada
CaribbeanInstitute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean
ChinaChina National Audit Office
CyprusInstitute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus
Czech RepublicChamber of Auditors of the Czech Republic
East AfricaEastern Central and Southern African Federation of Accountants
Eastern CaribbeanInstitute of Chartered Accountants of the Eastern Caribbean
EgyptEgyptian Society of Accountants and Auditors
EthiopiaEthiopian Professional Association of Accountants and Auditors
EuropeAccountancy Europe (formerly Fédération des Experts Comptables Européens)
GeorgiaThe Georgian Federation of Professional Accountants and Auditors
GreeceInstitute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece
GuyanaInstitute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana
Hong KongHong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants
IndonesiaIkatan Akuntan Indonesia
IranIranian Association of Certified Public Accountants
IrelandInstitute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland
JamaicaInstitute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica
JordanJordanian Association of Certified Public Accountants
KenyaInstitute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya
LesothoLesotho Institute of Accountants
MalawiPublic Accountants Examination Council of Malawi
MalaysiaMalaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants
MaltaMalta Institute of Accountants
MexicoInstituto Mexicano de Contadores Públicos
MoldovaAssociation of Professional Accountants and Auditors of Moldova
NigeriaInstitute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria
PolandAccountants Association in Poland
RomaniaBody of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania
SerbiaSerbian Association of Accountants and Auditors
Sierra LeoneInstitute of Chartered Accountants of Sierra Leone
SingaporeInstitute of Singapore Chartered Accountants
Sri LankaInstitute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka
SwazilandSwaziland Institute of Accountants
TanzaniaNational Board of Accountants and Auditors
ThailandFederation of Accounting Professions
Trinidad and TobagoInstitute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago
TurkeyUnion of Chambers of Certified Public Accountants of Turkey
UkraineChamber of Auditors of Ukraine
United Arab EmiratesAccountants & Auditors Association
United KingdomAssociation of Accounting Technicians
UruguayColegio de Contadores, Economistas y Administradores del Uruguay
VietnamMinistry of Finance of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
ZambiaLusaka Stock Exchange

References

References

  1. "Who we are {{!}} ACCA Global".
  2. "About us".
  3. "Meet your council".
  4. "AGM 2024".
  5. "Annual reports". Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
  6. "The Major Accountancy Bodies in the UK and Republic of Ireland".
  7. "Regulated Professions Register {{!}} Chartered Certified Accountant".
  8. "ACCA Royal Charter".
  9. "Our history".
  10. Walker. (2011). "Ethel Ayres Purdie: Critical practitioner and suffragist". Critical Perspectives on Accounting.
  11. "Computer-based exams".
  12. "The ACCA Qualification journey".
  13. "Exemptions calculator".
  14. "The ACCA Qualification".
  15. "Accountant's challenge to auditing ban dismissed". [[The Irish Times]].
  16. "Colclough -v- the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants [2018] IEHC 85 (21 February 2018)".
  17. "Join ICAEW as an ACCA member". icaew.com.
  18. "Award at Level 6".
  19. Orlik, Rose. (2011-07-22). "POB regulation report names and shames institutes".
  20. "Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential".
  21. "Mutual memberships".
  22. "Transcription du comité 2024-fév-12 | Assemblée législative de l'Ontario".
  23. https://www.accaadvocacy.ca/ {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
  24. Australian Securities and Investments Commission. (30 June 2016). "RG 180 Auditor registration".
  25. "The ACCA and CA ANZ alliance".
  26. "Members And Affiliates".
  27. (2011-05-04). "Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)".
  28. "Attractiveness of the Accounting Profession {{!".
  29. "Exemption for Various Qualification".
  30. (6 December 2023). "ACCA's Role in India's Finance Transformation: A Look into the Future | by Thewallstreetschool | Medium".
  31. (24 July 2022). "First Schedule".
  32. (3 November 2022). "How to be Auditor in Malaysia?".
  33. (25 May 2024). "ACCA membership hits quarter of a million, with more than 19,000 members in Malaysia alone".
  34. (3 April 2015). "CA ACCA CFA in Nepal".
  35. "ACCA UK signs MoU with ICMAP Pakistan".
  36. [http://business.asiaone.com/investments-and-savings/mof-announces-details-new-professional-accountancy-designation MOF Announces Details of New Professional Accountancy Designation (2 April 2013)] {{Webarchive. link. (29 October 2013 ''AsiaOne'')
  37. [http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Business/Story/A1Story20130402-413059.html Singapore Prepares for a 2-tier Accounting Profession (4 April 2013)] ''The Business Times''
  38. [http://www.singaporeqp.com/singapore-qp-framework Singapore QP Framework] {{webarchive. link. (2013-03-09 ''Singapore Qualification Programme'')
  39. "ACCA Courses in Dubai – GBS".
  40. "Qualifications from our partners".
  41. [https://www.brookes.ac.uk/business/undergraduate/bsc-applied-accounting/ BSc Applied Accounting], brookes.ac.uk
  42. [https://london.ac.uk/courses/professional-accountancy Professional Accountancy], london.ac.uk
  43. [https://www.brookes.ac.uk/business/mba/programme-details/acca-partnership/ ACCA Global MBA], brookes.ac.uk
  44. "Representation on external bodies".
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