ACCA Assists Vietnam to Build up Accountants' Capacity

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) on August 29 presented graduation certificates to 12 out of 32 Vietnamese participants nationwide who have completed its course. The presentation was held in Hanoi.

“Vietnam now has an additional 32 accountants with a recognized international certificate. This has contributed to the quality of the business accounting workforce in Vietnam,” assessed Richard Peters of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, one of ACCA’s partners.

Nearly 100 Vietnamese participants have received ACCA’s certificates so far. The course is held twice yearly, in early June and December. The International Language Academy Centre in Ho Chi Minh City and the British Council in Hanoi are authorized examination centres. ACCA certificate holders are eligible to become members of the association’s global network to exchange experiences with fellow workers around the world.

“We hope that from 2006, any Vietnamese students who pass the ACCA’s exams need not attend a transfer exam to take Vietnam’s auditor certificate,” said Dr. Vuong Huu Nhon, Vice President of the Vietnam Accounting Association.

Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Van Ta said the ministry had officially recognized the ACCA’s certificate through a memorandum of cooperation. Over 5,000 Vietnamese have learnt to be auditors over the past thirteen years, of whom 850 are successfully employed. Nearly 100 have reached international standard, he added.

“To attain comprehensive global integration, Vietnam needs professional accountants and auditors. Being an organisation experienced in assisting countries to build accounting management systems, the ACCA hopes to make a positive contribution to the integration process of Vietnam’s accounting field,” stressed Thomas Adlam, Director for Education Development of ACCA.

• Kim Phuong