Prospective CPA e-newsletter


	Practical Experience: Views from the Ground
	Examination Matters
	Training and Social Functions
	Career Development
	For Your Information
	Upcoming Events

BDO McCabe Lo Limited: Authorised Employer

This month, Prospective CPA finds out more about how the authorised employer/ authorised supervisor scheme is working at BDO McCabe Lo Limited, one of Hong Kong's ten largest firms.

Director Johnson Kong, who is responsible for the firm's human resources, thinks that a greater proportion of students who join the firm in September 2006 will be enrolled in QP. "We certainly suggest that our students are part of QP as the programme has many merits — not to mention that it is the only official and direct way to qualify as a professional accountant in Hong Kong," Kong says. "The authorised employer/authorised supervisor programme definitely contributes to this by monitoring practical progress and making sure the students' work experience is relevant and meets QP requirements." Click here for more details.

New Release of Question & Answer (Q&A) Booklets

New CPA Qualification Programme (QP) Q&A booklets for Modules A and C (May 2005 session) are now available for sale at the Institute's reception. The booklets cost HK$45 each. Students can enjoy free online access to the Q&A booklets at the QP learning support centre or read them at the Institute's library.

Training Functions

Date	Programmes
19 January 2006	Mainland Business Interest Group seminar on franchising in the Mainland
21 January 2006	Seminar on HKAS 32 and 39 – financial assets and liabilities: recognition and measurements
11 February 2006	Seminar on HKAS 32 and 39 – financial instruments: complex and presentation issues
11, 18, 25 February, 4, 11, 18 & 25 March 2006	Workshop on PRC accounting, auditing, taxation, capital market and corporate governance
16 February 2006	Seminar on the new financial reporting framework and standard for SMEs

If you are interested in attending any of these events, click here for more information and application details.

BBQ at Hong Kong Riding Skills Academy

On 17 December 2005, a barbecue organised by the Institute's Student Services Committee was held at the Hong Kong Riding Skills Academy in Yuen Long. The activity attracted 40 participants including registered students, workshop facilitators, members and guests. Please click here to view highlights of the barbecue.

Make the Right Choice for Your Career
by Christina Leung, speaker at the business and career insight seminar on tax careers held on 21 September 2005

Your career choice is one of the most important decisions in your life. People work on average for 45 years, from age 21 to 65, and we spend at least one-third of each day working. Your career choice affects every aspect of your life – your health, family, personal development, social activities, etc.

In choosing a career, it is important to consider your own personal characteristics and abilities. I strongly believe that a person cannot excel in a thing in which they do not have an interest. In many cases people take up a career without being interested enough in it, and as a result they waste a great deal of time and effort without making any achievements. It's important to evaluate yourself and make the right choice from the start.

If you do not make a right choice at first, it is never too late to change. In this business environment, we should always be prepared to adapt to change and take on new challenges! Don't be like "the frog who died in slowly boiling water" without realising the danger of the changing environment. You need to be ready to commit to lifelong learning in order to maintain your competitiveness. Also, if you find your working environment is not suitable for you, change it. Transitional ups and downs are the norm in any career. The most important thing is how you react and pick yourself up again.

Take action and make the right choice. Remember the choice is yours.

Practice Makes Perfect

Business networking events can prove a real obstacle for the shy. Shona Macdonald asks for some tips from the professionals. Click here to find out more.

This article is reprinted with permission from CA Magazine (August 2005), issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

Newly Accredited Conversion Programme under the CPA QP

We are pleased to announce that the Postgraduate Diploma in Accountancy (to be offered in September 2006) at Lingnan University has been accredited as an approved conversion programme under the Institute's CPA QP. For the full list of accountancy programmes accredited by the Institute, please refer to our homepage.

Application for Continuing Education Fund

The CPA QP is a reimbursable course under the Government's continuing education fund. If you wish to claim for module(s) taken in the February 2006 session, please submit your application before 6 February 2006. Click here for more details.

2006 Student Fee Schedule

With effect from 1 January 2006, registered students are requested to pay an administrative fee of $100 for the issue/re-issue of students' related documents. Any request for the issue/re-issue of these documents will be completed within two weeks from the date of receipt of the written request and payment. Click here for more details.

Print friendly version

6 January 2006	Q	-	Modules A & C enrolment deadline
19 January 2006	O	-	MBIG seminar on franchising in the mainland
21 January 2006	P	-	Seminar on HKAS 32 and 39 – financial assets and liabilities: recognition and measurement
3 February 2006	Q	-	Modules A & C orientation session
6 February 2006	Q	-	Modules A & C commencement
	O	-	CEF application form for Modules A & C submission deadline
11 February 2006	P	-	Seminar on HKAS 32 and 39 – financial instruments: complex and presentation issues
11 February – 25 March 2006	O	-	Workshop on PRC accounting, auditing, taxation, capital market and corporate governance
16 February 2006	P	-	Seminar on new financial reporting framework and standard for SMEs
24-26 February 2006	Q	-	Modules A & C – First workshop


Q	: QP event
P	: Practical training functions
S	: Student social activities
O	: Other events

Members of the Student Services Committee

Dr Stella Cho	Associate Professor, School of Accounting and Finance, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Chairperson)
Ms Amy Chow	Director, Financial Intelligence Training Limited (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Nelson Lam	CPA, Nelson & Company (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Vincent Hoe	Chief Financial Officer, Jiwa Bio Pharm Holdings Limited
Ms Helen Hsu	Partner, Assurance & Advisory Business Services, Ernst & Young
Ms Ruth Kung	Director, Learning & Education, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Mr Wilson Kwok	Partner, Lam Kwok Kwan & Cheng CPA Limited
Ms C. K. Lam	Tax Manager, Tax Department, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Dr Peter Lau	Associate Professor, Department of Accountancy & Law, Hong Kong Baptist University
Dr Richard S. Simmons	Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting & Finance, Lingnan University
Ms Karen Tsui	Manager, Professional Development, KPMG
Mr Thomas Wong	Deputy Director, School of Professional Education and Executive Development, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dr Joseph Yau	Senior Programme Director, SPACE, the University of Hong Kong
Mr David Yip	Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Accountancy, City University of Hong Kong
Mr Eric Chu	CPA QP Student Representative

Technical articles	CPA Source	A Plus
CPD programmes	e-learning programmes	New books
HKAAT New	TechWatch

	Student Education & Training Department Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants 4/F, Tower Two, Lippo Centre, 89 Queensway, Hong Kong . Tel: 2287 7236 / 2287 7099

	Have you any comments or suggestions for the e-newsletter? If so, we'd like to hear from you. Write to us at etd@hkicpa.org.hk