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The AAT is the professional body for accounting technicians, with more than 100,000 members and students worldwide.
Formed in 1980, it is sponsored by four of the major accountancy bodies in the UK: The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA); The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW); The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and; The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).
These organisations provide non-financial support, offer fast-track entry or exemptions into their qualifications to AAT-qualified Students, and are represented on the AAT's Council.
The AAT is unique in that it is the only professional accounting body to be accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), and is the only specialist awarding body for National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in Accounting. The AAT is also approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority to provide Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in Accounting.
Accounting technicians work in accounting and finance alongside chartered accountants, in a wide range of jobs from accounts clerks to credit control officers to financial managers. Accounting technicians work in all sectors of the economy, in industry and commerce, accountancy practices and the public and voluntary sectors. Some are self-employed, offering their services to the general public.
Association of Accounting Technicians, 154 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1R 5AD
Tel: 020 7837 8600, Fax: 020 7410 0906,
www.aat.co.uk
ACCA is the world's fastest growing professional accountancy body, representing around 250,000 financial professionals around the globe, including 160,000 students and almost 70,000 members. ACCA's members work in industry, government, the public sector, academia and private practice. The ACCA qualification was recently recognised by the United Nations as the global accountancy standard when it adopted the ACCA syllabus as the heart of its worldwide accounting curriculum.
It is the only professional body to train and examine in international accounting standards. ACCA also runs the highly popular Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) foundation stage qualification and the Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance, one of the few post-graduate qualifications in finance for non-financial managers. The Diploma is especially attractive to managers in Ireland, Singapore and Malaysia, and in the UK it is widely taught in central government.
ACCA - as global body - is active in representing its members, such as TNT vice-president Alan Jones (below-right), at a worldwide, regional and national level. It actively lobbies organisations such as the World Trade Organisation, the United Nations and the European Union, and participates in international accountancy organisations such as IASC, IFAC and FEE.
ACCA has a range of special interests such as environmental and social accounting, small business, global accounting standards, and professional education. It enjoys a reputation for professional, technical and presentational innovation.
Typical is its new arrangement with Oxford Brookes University to provide new ACCA students with a BSc in Applied Accounting.
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, 29 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3AA
Tel: 020 7396 5900, Fax: 020 7396 5959,
www.accaglobal.com
CIMA members are Accountants in Business. CIMA represents financial managers and accountants who work in industry, commerce, not-for-profit and public sector organisations. Our key activities are related to Business Strategy, Information Strategy and Finance Strategy. CIMA members are not trained in audit.
CIMA's focus is to qualify students, support members and employers, and protect the public interest. We represent the voice of over 77,000 students and 60,000 members in 155 countries.
CIMA's focus on management functions makes us unique, and we are internationally recognised as offering the financial qualification for business.
CIMA is 'rapidly becoming the chartered qualification of choice' according to recent independent research, and we work with leading employers in the UK and around the world to train and qualify financial managers. We pride ourselves on the commercial relevance of our syllabus, which is continually enhanced to reflect the latest developments in business. In an age of growing globalisation and intensified competition, the Chartered Management Accountant is fully prepared to meet the need for timely and accurate financial information.
Our members and students work across all business sectors at all levels throughout the world, demonstrating the flexibility of the qualification.
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, 26 Chapter Street, London, SW1P 4NP
Tel: 020 7663 5441, Fax: 020 7663 5442,
www.cimaglobal.com/
The Chartered Institute of Taxation is the leading professional body in the United Kingdom concerned solely with taxation. The institute's primary purpose is to promote education in and the study of the administration and practice of taxation. The institute deals with all aspects of direct and indirect taxation. It is the United Kingdom member of the Conf?d?ration Fiscale Europ?enne, the umbrella body for tax advisers in Europe.
Membership of the institute is open to individuals from all disciplines who are competent and qualified to advise on taxation matters. Entrance is through its associateship examination, from which members may advance to fellowship by thesis. Members of the Institute have the practising title of "Chartered Tax Adviser", and an increasing number of members hold the institute's qualification as their main professional qualification.
The aim of the Institute's website is to provide comprehensive, current tax information to members, students, tax professionals and those seeking advice. The site provides up to date information from the Institute and the Association of Taxation Technicians, along with a wealth of reference material plus links to a wide range of sites dealing with tax and associated topics.
The Chartered Institute of Taxation, 12 Upper Belgrave Street, London SW1X 8BB
Tel: 020 7235 9381, Fax: 020 7235 2562,
www.tax.org.uk
CIPFA, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, is one of the leading professional accountancy bodies in the UK and the only one specialising in the public services. It is responsible for the education and training of professional accountants and for their regulation through the setting and monitoring of professional standards.
CIPFA has responsibility for setting accounting standards for a significant part of the economy, namely local government. Members work (often at the most senior level) in the public service bodies, national audit agencies and major accountancy firms. CIPFA also provides a range of advisory, information and training and consultancy services to public service organisations such as hospitals (right). As such, CIPFA is the leading independent commentator on managing and accounting for public money.
The Institute of Public Finance (IPF) is the commercial arm of CIPFA, providing services to 1,800 clients. It delivers advisory and consortia services, specialises in consultancy, training and software, publishes statistical information and helps clients manage property portfolios.
CIPFA runs a comprehensive programme of events and conferences for members and other professionals working in public finance. CIPFA is also the leading publisher of core financial management guidance for the public services. The website has direct access to this information with a link to the publications bookshop, and to the online version of CIPFA's Public Finance Magazine. There is news about courses, conferences, education, training and IPF activities. It also offers advice on policy and technical aspects of public finance.
CIPFA, 3 Robert Street, London WC2N 6BH
Tel: 020 7543 5600, Fax: 020 7543 5607,
www.cipfa.org.uk
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales is the largest professional accountancy body in Europe and its qualification, which allows members to call themselves chartered accountants and use the designatory letters ACA or FCA, is recognised all over the world as a prestigious business qualification.
It has a membership of over 118,000. Around half are employed in industry, finance and commerce, and half in public practice.
The range of professional activities carried out by chartered accountants has expanded over the decades to encompass auditing, financial reporting, taxation, personal finance, corporate finance, financial management and information technology. Despite this, the role of the institute has remained constant - to provide a centre of technical excellence, to support members and work in the public interest.
Chartered Accountants undergo rigorous training and must pass tough exams to qualify. Passing their final admitting exams marks the end of gruelling years of study and is a cause for celebration (right). They must also maintain high standards of professional conduct and competence.
The institute's technical activities are operated through specialist faculties in audit, tax, financial management, information technology and corporate finance. These consider proposals from government and the European Commission, as well as from the Accounting Standards Board, the Auditing Practices Board and other bodies, ensuring members' views are made known.
With a regional network of 22 district society offices, support services for members are improving all the time. These include a technical enquiry service, a business bureau, a professional ethics advisory service and careers advice.
The institute's website contains details of all its activities and services, an online directory of firms and links to other useful sites.
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, Chartered Accountants' Hall, Moorgate Place, London EC2P 2BJ
Tel: 020 7920 8100, Fax: 020 7920 8100,
www.icaew.co.uk
Incorporated by Royal Charter in 1888, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland is the oldest and largest body of accountants in Ireland. Members are committed to enhancing business performance through knowledge and services of the highest professional standards delivered with integrity. The institute leads and promotes chartered accountancy, assures quality to the public and seeks to achieve excellence in education and in support of its members.
Based in Dublin, the institute currently has over 11,300 members, of whom 60% work in business, with the rest in practice. Around 7,300 members work in the Republic of Ireland, 2,000 in Northern Ireland, 1,000 in Great Britain and a further 1,000 throughout Europe, the US and Australia.
The most popular areas on the ICAI website is its extensive library catalogue and CABIN - the Chartered Accountants' Business Index.
These two services together attract some 80% of the total hits. Also available on the site is a directory of Irish accountancy firms on the web, details of forthcoming courses and events, articles from the ICAI publication, Accountancy Ireland, and all ICAI press releases.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, CA House, 87-89 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4
Tel: 01 668 0400, Fax: 01 668 5685,
www.icai.ie
ICAS received it Royal Charter in 1854 and is the oldest professional body of accountants in the world. It was the first to adopt the designation 'Chartered Accountant' and the designatory letters 'CA' are still an exclusive privilege in the UK for its 15,000 members. The institute's members hold positions across the business sector - in industry, commerce, public practice, financial services, education, local and central government. Their influence is not confined to the UK. More than 2,000 of its members are working overseas in nearly 100 countries.
The institute's primary duty is to the public; a principle which distinguishes it from a trade association whose prime concern is to its members. The range of activities in which it must involve itself are determined by its Royal Charter and are reflected in its mission statement: 'To uphold the integrity and standing of the profession of chartered accountancy in the interests of society and the membership through excellence in education and the development of accountancy and through service to members and the enforcement of professional standards.'
These four main functions - of student and post-qualifying education; technical services; member services and regulation - form the basis of the institute activity. The institute has a staff of over one hundred and thirty, based mainly at its headquarters in Edinburgh, but also at its education centre in Glasgow. There is also a London office, located just off Trafalgar Square, providing additional business facilities in the heart of London.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, CA House, 21 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH
Tel: 0131 347 0100, Fax: 0131 347 0105,
www.icas.org.uk
