SAICA is the only professional accountancy body that is a registered Education and Training Quality Authority (ETQA) and as such plays an important role in promoting quality in respect of programmes leading to the qualification as a CA(SA). It therefore only recognises programmes offered at certain universities as meeting the necessary criteria to qualify prospective CAs(SA) .
The following are universities that offer the SAICA-accredited programmes:
- North-West University;
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University;
- University of Cape Town;
- Rhodes University;
- University of Fort Hare;
- University of Free State;
- University of Johannesburg;
- University of KwaZulu-Natal;
- University of South Africa (UNISA);
- University of Stellenbosch;
- University of Pretoria;
- University of the Witwatersrand; and
- University of the Western Cape.
“Although SAICA accredits the programme and not the institution, students enrolling at a university with a view to becoming a CA(SA) must make certain that the institution offers a programme that SAICA has accredited and that the programme they enroll for is SAICA-accredited,” says Mandi Olivier, SAICA’s Project Director of Education. “An institution may offer a BCom Accounting degree, but if the relevant programme is not SAICA-accredited, a graduate from that university will be denied entry into the Part I qualifying examination.”
By means of the accreditation process, SAICA certifies that:
- The academic unit has put in place the appropriate resources that, if utilised effectively, should enable it to deliver the programme at the required standards and levels of quality; and
- The programme meets SAICA’s standards of learning and teaching.
Olivier points out that accreditation is not an automatic assurance that the academic unit in question is achieving the required standard of the delivery of that programme. Rather, accreditation confirms that a programme contains the requirements necessary to meet SAICA’s accreditation standards.
“The quality of the programme offered by the academic unit – the extent to which it meets SAICA’s educational standards – is, however, the sole responsibility of the academic unit.”
Olivier offers a host of reasons why school leavers with high grades in mathematics should seriously consider pursuing the CA(SA), among them:
- A CA(SA), as an individual responsible for analysing and reporting on financial information, frequently ends up as the head and heart of a business;
- As a career, chartered accountancy is challenging and exciting, which serves as a base for establishing a highly promising and varied career post qualification;
- A CA(SA) plays many roles and is not solely focused on working with numbers;
- A career in accountancy enables the CA(SA) to work internationally;
- Those studying toward a CA(SA) are encouraged to pursue a balanced lifestyle that promotes work flexibility and the ability to earn a good living;
- Because finance is the fuel that powers the economy and because CAs(SA) are financial pivots, multiple career opportunities present themselves to the CA(SA);
- The CA(SA) designation creates the mobility to work in any industry of choice – in all fields of business and finance and, more specifically, in auditing/assurance, tax, financial management, information technology, management accounting, forensic accounting and insolvency;
- Holding the CA(SA) provides many opportunities for furthering one’s ability to continue to learn new skills and knowledge; and
- CAs(SA) hold prestigious positions in the private and public sector and in academia.
Students who wish to study toward a CA(SA) qualification are urged to ensure that their application forms reach a university which offers the SAICA-accredited programme before the end of October, which is the closing date for most universities.
The requirements, which do vary from university to university, are a matric exemption certificate, no less than a C symbol in Mathematics and good English. Accounting is desirable, but not compulsory.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
| Thando Pato Communication Coordinator: Corporate The SA Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Tel: 011 621 6898 Email: thandop@saica.co.za | Anusha Mudhai Consultant Meropa Communications Tel: 011 506 7314 Email: anusham@saica.co.za |
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