ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and the University of London have collaborated on the launch of a new BSc (Hons) Professional Accountancy programme.

This innovative programme integrates studies for the ACCA Qualification with those for the University of London BSc (Hons) Professional Accountancy into one study route, meaning that students can achieve both as part of their route to becoming members of the leading global accountancy body, which has more than quarter of a million members across 180 countries.

The BSc (Hons) Professional Accountancy has been designed to fit into a student’s journey through the ACCA Qualification, with a clear pathway for those wanting to attain a degree. ACCA students will be able to apply for the degree from 8 December 2025.

Like the ACCA Qualification, students will have the flexibility to study for the BSc online anywhere in the world. They can choose between supported online learning or, as it becomes available, face-to-face tuition support, through the University of London’s network of Recognised Teaching Centres.

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India at ACCA, said: ‘Choosing between a professional and an academic qualification is a significant dilemma for many students in India. This new route offers a great career launchpad for those who want to do both at the same time.

‘University of London is a world-renowned university with a global reach and values that mirror ours. This new route supports our efforts to increase inclusion and opportunity in the Indian accountancy profession, and to bridge the accountancy skills gap.’

Dr Sky Zheng, Executive Director of University of London Worldwide, said: ‘We have a longstanding commitment to innovating the way we provide accessible, quality, distance education to students around the world. This includes providing courses that allow students to choose the best learning experience to suit them and their needs, whether professional or academic.

‘This BSc programme, delivered in collaboration with ACCA, gives students the best of both worlds – gaining both credentials simultaneously to improve their career prospects in global accountancy. We look forward to helping develop the next generation of qualified professionals who can meet the evolving demands of the business world.’

The BSc (Hons) Professional Accountancy builds on an existing collaboration between the two bodies under which ACCA members and affiliates have the opportunity to attain an MSc in Professional Accountancy.

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According to Combatting fraud in a perfect storm, cyber fraud now dominates both prevalence and materiality globally, amplifying all other risks. Procurement, abuse of authority, and third-party frauds follow close behind as the most prevalent types worldwide. Yet they remain chronically underreported, particularly in SMEs and the public sector.

Drawing on responses from over 2,000 professionals and 31 roundtable discussions around the world, the study – launched during International Fraud Awareness Week – shows how fraud has become industrialised, converging across value and supply chains and outpacing conventional controls.

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India at ACCA said: ‘Fraud is no longer isolated or opportunistic. AI has accelerated its scale and speed while lagging governance and siloed accountability still allow it to thrive in organisation’s processes and architecture. We need to start asking harder questions: Where are the blind spots? Who owns prevention? And how do we make integrity measurable?

In collaboration with ACFE, IIA, CISI, ISC2, Airmic and ACi, the report introduces a new Prevalence vs Materiality matrix lens to help organisations make better decisions about allocating resources before fraud diminishes them. Through its companion Calls to Action and Thematic Typology, the report also provides new guidance on assessing what works and doesn’t – and crucially how to incorporate behavioural insights into risk governance, moving fraud prevention from compliance theatre to operational reality.

Key findings:

·         Cyberfraud ranks highest for both prevalence and materiality, 39% and 38% respectively, overall, acting as an amplifier for every other form of fraud and interconnecting with harder-to-stop frauds like crypto-linked crimes.

·         The survey showed that despite rising prevalence, only 10% of crypto fraud cases are referred to law enforcement – the lowest referral rate of any fraud type.

·         Organised crime networks professionalising “fraud-as-a-service”: fast-moving, AI-powered and cross-border operations outpacing traditional defences.

·         Procurement, abuse of authority and, third-party frauds are silent drains on value, often under-reported like many internal frauds, and misclassified as “operational leakage”.

·         Cultural weakness and siloed accountability allow fraud to persist:  while 62% of respondents agree that fraud awareness training is important, only 57% believe their organisation proactively looks for fraud and that drops to 51% for accountancy professionals, who emphasised fraud is silently eroding trust and organisational value.

·         The survey found that the ease of reporting averaged 70% across fraud types even though fraud risk management maturity and trust in anti-fraud measures varied significantly by region, sector, teams and seniority.

Dr Roger Miles, behavioural scientist and member of ACCA’s special interest group on fraud, added that ACCA’s report is a “wake-up call” no organisations can ignore. ‘The Fear of Finding Out (FOFO) is a major barrier to fraud awareness. We’ve reached a watershed moment where we’ve got to deeply question the truth of the bookkeeping in front of us.’

The report calls for a collective reset, one that embeds proactive detection, strengthens accountability, and builds cultures where raising concerns is safe and expected. It emphasises that combating modern fraud requires uniting disciplines, modernising oversight and making integrity measurable.

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Bengaluru, 04 November 2025: Ahead of COP 30 later this month, leading global accountancy body ACCA has created a unique, unified approach to responsible investment comprehensively integrating sustainability considerations into strategy.

In Understanding Responsible Investment ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has produced – in collaboration with the Universities of Witwatersrand and Leeds – a comprehensive yet concise framework setting out the right links between environmental and social issues and capital allocation and investment decisions.

By following eight steps an organisation can map how its financial success is linked to environmental and social considerations.

A generally accepted definition of responsible investment has never existed despite the fact  that the concept has driven a fundamental shift in how investment decisions are made by investors, asset managers and owners.

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India at ACCA, said: ‘Despite all the expectation on business increasingly having to grapple with climate change and social inequity, to date no unified approach to responsible investment has been produced. Thanks to collaboration and deep analysis of a variety of frameworks, we have now created one: identifying eight core components of responsible investment and creating an integrated thinking model, which ensures all risks and opportunities are systematically incorporated into investment analysis and capital allocation.’

Determining which social and environmental issues are most relevant in the context of an investment strategy is a challenging task. Investors typically assess a range of extra-financial factors according to their materiality. They use a combination of qualitative and quantitative factors – such as stakeholder expectation, regulatory requirements, and direct and indirect dependencies.

Dannielle Cerbone, Associate Professor at the School of Accountancy, University of Witwatersrand, said: ‘This academically rigorous report provides a comprehensive but concise reference for investors, asset owners and regulators in an increasingly complex landscape.’

The eight core steps are:

The responsible investment framework

• ESG integration
• Sustainability frameworks
• Screening methods
• Investor proactivity
• Strategic purpose
• Investment options selection
• Regulatory requirements and standards
• Measuring outcomes.

Responsible investors recognise that sustainability reporting is still evolving. It is clear from producing this report that many investees must go further in balancing financial, ecological and social value creation if they are to better access and service responsible finance.

Khan added: ‘We hope this report will prove of practical use to investors and companies in India and internationally. For instance the report provides a method of assessing the impact of sustainability-related factors on an organisation’s valuation – a task which is far from straightforward.’

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Bengaluru, October 07,2025: In a world of data, which information to trust and in what circumstances is a key business issue, especially when it comes to sustainability-related data. ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and The Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA) Internal Audit Foundation have explored the issues and opportunities for businesses and other organisations and have prepared a practical report that offers recommendations and an action plan.

The new report Internal control over sustainability data reveals that there is a real opportunity for accountancy, finance and internal audit professionals to drive the sustainability agenda by applying internal control principles to sustainability-related data. Together they can deliver strategically important, meaningful work and make a strong contribution to building sustainable businesses, which are essential for the future of the capital markets, the global economy and the planet.

Helen Brand OBE, chief executive of ACCA, said: ‘Trust in sustainability data is vital if we’re going to be successful in driving forward a more sustainable world, and a robust and effective approach to internal controls inside businesses is crucial to achieving this. Through this leading-edge research, we’re equipping accountancy, finance and internal audit professionals with the knowledge they need for the evolving sustainability landscape.’

Anthony J. Pugliese, President and CEO of The Institute of Internal Auditors, said: ‘By focusing on how we apply internal controls to sustainability data, our professions can collectively strengthen trust, support better decisions, and help build truly sustainable businesses. This report offers a clear path forward and a compelling call to action for accountancy, finance, and internal audit professionals to lead the way.’

Drawing on interviews with more than 50 accountancy, finance and internal audit professionals, along with responses from over 900 survey respondents, the report has three key messages:

• The nature of the process flows related to sustainability data require a reappraisal of the accepted internal control concepts to ensure they are applied appropriately.
• Successful implementation of internal control over sustainability data fundamentally relies upon the executive and management of the organisation embedding sustainability objectives as core strategic objectives, monitored by robust key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Data ownership that embraces internal control must be established, especially in areas where control consciousness is not fundamental to personal conduct, and all those involved in internal control must have the appropriate skill sets to fulfil their responsibilities.

The research was conducted as part of a long-standing memorandum of understanding between ACCA and The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA). Under the agreement, the two bodies are focused on advancing their members’ careers, enhancing governance practices, and serving the public interest.

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~ Leading global accountancy body ACCA is offering its members the chance to improve their skills and their chances of gaining valuable advisory work

Bengaluru, 15 September 2025 :- ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is creating a strategic partnership with the Advisory Board Centre, the global professional body for the advisory sector. The partnership – which started in September – is designed to support members in building advisory skills and creating greater impact in organisations and communities worldwide.

The collaboration brings together ACCA’s global expertise in professional development with the Advisory Board Centre’s internationally recognised research and frameworks for effective advisory boards. The partnership will provide ACCA members with new opportunities to expand their strategic influence, enhance their readiness for advisory roles, and unlock value for organisations of all sizes.

Lucia Real Martin, Executive Director -Relationships, ACCA said: ‘I welcome this partnership and urge ACCA members who are working – or aspire to work – in the advisory space to become involved in this initiative.

‘Finance professionals are trusted partners to business, and many are increasingly taking on advisory roles that shape the future of organisations. Our partnership with the Advisory Board Centre provides members with practical tools and connections to deepen their impact, and to contribute to sustainable value creation at a strategic level.’

Through this partnership, ACCA members will benefit from:

• Specialised learning and insights on how advisory boards operate and add value.
• Access to research and frameworks developed by the Advisory Board Centre for best-practice advisory engagements.
• Opportunities to connect with a global community of advisors, business leaders, and organisations seeking strategic guidance.

The hub will serve as a trusted space for members to access curated content, thought leadership, practical tools, and networking opportunities tailored to the evolving landscape of advisory work. It will also offer a platform to share insights, build capability, and promote ethical and effective advisory engagement – ultimately supporting career development and enhancing value creation across sectors enhancing the advisory community.

Udo Doring, CEO and Executive Director, Advisory Board Centre, also welcomed the partnership. He said: ‘ACCA and the Advisory Board Centre can empower professionals to thrive in strategic advisory roles, while advancing the standards and impact of advisory practice globally.

‘The Advisory Board Centre is delighted to partner with ACCA to empower finance professionals globally. With their unique expertise, accountants can play a pivotal role in advisory boards – helping organisations navigate complexity, innovate, and grow responsibly.’

This partnership reflects ACCA’s commitment to supporting members in diversifying their careers and building influence at the highest levels of business, while also advancing the Advisory Board Centre’s mission to raise the standard of the global advisory sector.

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The signing was officiated by Prabhanshu Mittal, Head of Educational Partner Relationships – India at ACCA, and Prof. P. Saravanan, Dean – Corporate Relations and Faculty Affairs at IIM Tiruchirappalli, marking a significant step toward advancing finance and accountancy education in India. The MoU was exchanged in the eminent presence of Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh, Director of the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli.

This partnership is aimed at enhancing academic outcomes by offering students access to ACCA’s globally recognised qualification and embedding international standards into academic learning, while also driving excellence in professional and faculty development. With this collaboration, ACCA and IIM Tiruchirappalli will bring together their strengths to build a dynamic and globally relevant learning environment for aspiring finance professionals.

As part of the MoU, both institutions will facilitate academic collaboration through co-branded programmes, knowledge-sharing workshops, and student-centric seminars. ACCA will also drive professional development initiatives, including train-the-trainer modules and faculty development programmes, designed to enhance teaching capabilities and align pedagogy with global industry demands. Additionally, both institutions will jointly encourage innovation and research in accountancy and finance, contributing to the ongoing evolution of the profession.

This collaboration reflects the shared vision of ACCA and IIM Tiruchirappalli to equip the next generation of finance professionals with the global competence, agility, and ethical foundation required to lead in a fast-changing economic landscape.

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India at ACCA, said, ‘We are proud to partner with IIM Tiruchirappalli, one of India’s premier management institutions. This MoU reinforces our shared vision of nurturing global-ready finance professionals who are equipped to lead in a world shaped by technology, innovation, and ethical responsibility. We look forward to leveraging our global expertise to support IIM Tiruchirappalli’s strong academic foundation and foster new opportunities for learning, development, and impact.’

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Bengaluru, 29^th July 2025 : A new report from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has revealed that GCCs are boosting India’s economic growth by driving services exports and creating high-quality finance roles. GCCs are forecast to contribute 2% of India’s GDP and generate 2.8mn jobs by 2030.

GCCs in India have evolved from back-office support hubs to global value creators – now leading innovation, technological advancements, and research & development for global corporations. They play a key role in managing global operations and work closely with teams across the world. A skilled workforce (especially tech-related), expansion into tier-II cities, favourable government policies and improving infrastructure are fuelling India’s rise as the world’s front office.

In FY24, GCCs generated approximately $64.6 billion in export revenue, marking a significant 40% increase from $46 billion in FY23. 20,000 global leadership roles are projected to be based in India by 2030.

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India at ACCA said: ‘India is the ideal environment for GCCs thanks to our young, educated workforce, politically stable business environment and digital transformation capabilities.

‘Opportunities for finance professionals especially are immense, with strong demand for those with a higher set of skills who understand the finance function, are comfortable with data and digital tools and can deploy commercial and critical thinking. With the ‘Think Ahead’ approach, knowledge and skills gained through the ACCA Qualification on international accounting, auditing and sustainability standards, ACCA students and members are well placed to fill these global roles.’

As GCCs mature, finance roles are expanding far beyond traditional boundaries – from doing basic transaction focused accounting to roles that create value for the organisation – through process improvement and cost transformation initiatives. Areas of opportunity include business partnering, procurement, reporting, planning and analysis. While entry level roles focus on data analytics, FP&A and compliance management, mid-level roles are shifting to process improvements and driving transformation.

To be successful in this increasingly global way of working, finance professionals require a higher set of skills and capabilities with a mix of knowledge, solution and behaviour centric capabilities: understanding of finance function and specific industry vertical/ domain, comfort with data and digital tools; commercial and critical thinking to support decision making; and the ability to collaborate and communicate with global teams.

To manage risks and maximise the ongoing momentum, collaboration among state and non-state actors is the key. India needs a comprehensive and centralised GCC strategy backed by support from policymakers in promoting innovation, creating skilling initiatives and streamlining regulations

Report author Pooja Chaudhary, Policy and Insights Lead for India at ACCA, said:  ‘The report highlights the factors driving GCC success in India and what’s needed to sustain it. Strong leadership, cross-cultural talent, and collaboration between global and local teams are key to running a successful GCC. As GCCs take on more strategic roles, they must work with policymakers to streamline regulation and partner with academia to bridge skill gaps while continuing to create value through innovation and alignment with the parent organisation.’

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Bengaluru, 14th July 2025: ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), a globally recognised professional accountancy body, and the prestigious management institution, the Indian Institute of Management Nagpur (IIM Nagpur), today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance educational opportunities in the field of accounting and finance. The signing was officiated by Prabhanshu Mittal, ACCA’s Head of Educational Partner Relationships – India and Prof. Bhimaraya Metri, Director at IIM Nagpur.

This collaboration aims to enrich educational opportunities in the field of accountancy by providing students with a globally recognised qualification and fostering excellence in academic and professional development. ACCA, a distinguished global professional accountancy body, and IIM Nagpur, renowned for its academic excellence, are set to transform the learning experience for aspiring finance professionals.

As a part of this MoU, both bodies will collaborate to facilitate academic collaboration through joint academic programs, workshops, and seminars. Additionally, ACCA will also implement joint initiatives for professional development, including train the trainer and faculty development sessions. Furthermore, ACCA will work together with the institute to cultivate a culture of innovation and research in the field of accounting and finance, contributing to the advancements in the profession.

This partnership reaffirms the shared vision of ACCA and IIM Nagpur to drive innovation and excellence in finance and accountancy education, empowering future professionals to thrive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

On occasion of the MoU signing Md. Sajid Khan, Director- India at ACCA, said, ‘We are dedicated to developing the next generation of Indian accounting and finance professionals. This exciting collaboration with IIM Nagpur – a prestigious institution known for its commitment to academic excellence – reinforces our joint ambition to create finance professionals who are not only proficient in their field but also equipped to drive innovation and progress in the Indian and global financial landscape.’

Prof. Bhimaraya Metri, Director at IIM Nagpur, commented: ‘This partnership with ACCA is a significant step in our mission to nurture socially responsible, globally competent leaders. By collaborating with ACCA, we are expanding opportunities for our students to acquire international exposure and contemporary skills. The MoU aligns seamlessly with IIM Nagpur’s vision of being a future-oriented management institution delivering high-impact knowledge.’

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Bengaluru, July 14, 2025: AI will reshape the accountancy profession by changing how tasks are completed at all levels. Leading global accountancy body, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) says that as AI becomes more commonplace, new responsibilities and tasks will emerge for finance teams as they focus on improving controls and specifying the desired information outcomes from machine use.

New roles are also expected to support activities ensuring AI systems remain accurate and compliant with professional standards and regulations.

ACCA’s latest AI Monitor report explores how the gradual integration of AI over comings years is likely to change how accountants work and deliver value from the automation of repetitive tasks to increased knowledge support for decision making. The report points out that while AI can help make processes more efficient, human intervention needs to be retained at critical junctures. Ultimately, the integration of AI needs to reflect the fact that trust remains a fundamentally social concept built on human interaction, transparency, and oversight. And the future of accounting will involve navigating tensions between efficiency and human judgement, automation and control.

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India at ACCA, said: ‘Professionals who can embrace uncertainty, develop strong judgement skills, and continuously adapt their expertise will thrive even as specific tasks change or become automated.’

‘It should be remembered that over the decades accountancy has prospered by its intelligent and enthusiastic adoption of the latest technology.’

The report sets out four key work trends that AI will drive for accountants:

·         A contraction in routine processing;

·         An expansion in strategic and advisory decision-making;

·         An evolution of mid-level roles to incorporate more judgement and client interaction; and

·         New responsibilities at the intersection of accounting, technology and strategy.

The future that is unfolding isn’t one where finance and accounting professionals are replaced – but one where their responsibilities will change. Success in this transition depends on making clear assessments of where AI will add value, establishing clear policies and governance in use, and the cultivation of skills that complement technical capabilities.

ACCA expects that coming years will see organisations develop more integrated workflows based on the principle that AI adoption is not just about distinguishing high versus low-value activities – but focusing on outcomes, quality and value.

Alistair Brisbourne, Head of Technology Research, ACCA said: ‘Only a minority of finance and accounting teams have implemented AI solutions – but these resources are widely available, and organisations are reviewing opportunities and workforce needs.

‘AI adoption is expected to accelerate in coming years, especially as our data shows investment on AI initiatives is increasing, and widespread cloud adoption provides a crucial foundation for AI implementation.’

The profession is still in the invention and adoption stage of AI, as demonstrated by investment data and current adoption/usage statistics. And the profession is embracing the learning and employment challenge offered by AI as shown by the recently announced changes to the ACCA Qualification which embraces emerging advances in technology and sustainability.

The report adds that widescale use of a general-purpose technology, like AI, may take longer than anticipated.

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Open to students from universities and colleges nationwide, the competition aims to provide a unique platform to demonstrate financial acumen, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world business scenarios. The case studies will go beyond traditional accounting and delve into areas such as sustainability, innovation, ethics, and strategic decision-making.

Through this initiative, ACCA aims to bridge the gap between academia and business, offering students an opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into the world of professional accountancy. Participants will also develop critical thinking, leadership, and communication skills – key attributes for success in today’s dynamic business environment.

Speaking about the competition, Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India, ACCA said, ‘ACCA Case Masters 2025 is part of our continued efforts to build stronger engagement between academia and business. Through this initiative, we aim to support students in developing a practical understanding of the skills required by today’s professional accountants. The competition is designed to help participants enhance their critical thinking, communication and leadership skills, qualities that are increasingly important in today’s business landscape.’

The competition will be conducted in three stages, culminating in a final round where the top 15 teams will present their solutions to a panel of experts from industry and academia. This platform will provide participants with the opportunity to engage with experienced professionals, receive constructive feedback, and gain exposure to practical business challenges, contributing to the development of skills essential for their future careers.

Registrations for the competition are now open. Interested students, colleges and universities can register until 8 August 2025 via the link: https://bit.ly/ACCACaseMasters

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