Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland Overview Background to ICAI Why accreditation? Overview of process Questions

Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland Who are we? – Professional accountancy body established by Royal Charter in 1888 – Recognised in Irish and Northern Ireland/UK law – 15,000+ members, 4,000+ students – Statutory Awarding Body (CA Amendments Act 1966)

Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland Who are we? – International network of reciprocity agreements – Active involvement with other EU leading institutes – EU impact on auditor qualifications – Regulated by FRC/POB in NI/UK, IAASA, DETE, IFSRA in Republic of Ireland etc.

Why HETAC Accreditation? Background Drivers – State recognition seen as supportive of our role as educator of members – Recognition of EU developments – ICAI strategic review 2004 – Recognition at Level 9 seen as a strategic advantage – Educator demand for recognition

Quality Processes ICAI quality processes include: – Quality intake: – 98% of student intake are graduates – 25% of students have completed a post graduate award – Minimum of 2.2 award to be eligible for exemptions – Exemptions are available and are verified 100% – Recognition of undergraduate and post graduate programmes for exemption – Comparatively high pass rates and “throughput”

Quality Processes Quality over education processes: ICAI is both an educator and examiner: both roles are separated Courses operated in multiple centres around the country including Northern Ireland Standard course monitoring processes Annual syllabus update and review

Quality Processes All students are educated whilst completing a recognised “training contract” in an authorised training firm Students required to achieve defined competencies in the workplace On-line web based diary for monitoring by ICAI used to capture experiential learning Specific additional requirements for auditors for example

CA Diary of Professional Development

Quality Processes Examinations processes – Examiner appointment – Paper setting and review – Post examination feedback from stakeholders – Marking, double marking, moderation and adjudication – Monitoring of results by course centre –4 stage appeals process

HETAC Review Pre review preparation: 6 man weeks est. Appointment of international review panel by HETAC Review process Outcome

HETAC Process QA processes a key requirement Presumption of existence of quality processes – Requirement to have documented these. Review was a learning process for us Review panel familiar with accountancy bodies – Reliance by HETAC on panel’s integrity HETAC look for learners to have: – Access to education – Progression beyond – Transfer

Questions? Thank you