Prospective CPA e-newsletter

	New director of student education and training
	International recognition
	Practical experience: views from the ground
	Examination matters
	Important announcement
	Student programme
	Route to success with QP
	Practical experience
	How leadership skills can boost your career
	For your information
	Upcoming events

Jonathan Ng was appointed as the Institute's director of student education and training in December 2006. Jonathan is a member of the Institute and a UK Chartered Accountant. Before joining the Institute, he was a Far East regional trainer at Ernst & Young and a director of FTC Kaplan. He brings with him over 10 years of solid working experience in auditing, financial reporting, management accounting as well as education and training.

Reflecting on his appointment, Jonathan remarked, "The Institute's QP is world class training for professional accountants and the designation of CPA is the apex of accounting qualifications. I am honoured to head the student education and training department and endeavour to maintain and enhance QP as a first tier accountancy qualification."

China QP received in Ireland

The Institute's qualification programme earned extra overseas recognition when an addendum was signed recently with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, which extends existing recognition benefits to mainland QP graduates. Click here for more details.

Authorized supervisor: Nelson Lam, Nelson and Company

Nelson Lam of Nelson and Company heads a traditional CPA firm offering auditing, accounting, financial reporting and tax services. After working for the Big Four and local CPA firms, he is now actively involved in training new accountants. In fact, he enjoys the training process to such an extent that he likes dividing his time between running his own company and lecturing at universities and professional accountancy bodies. Lam is also very experienced in his role as authorized supervisor for the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs. As highly qualified and respected professionals, the role of authorized supervisor is to ensure that potential members attain the appropriate level of practical experience. Click here for Lam's views of his AS experience has been most rewarding.

Top QP candidates in the May 2006 session

Module B (Financial management)
Top prize winner Ma Yim Hung obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2006. She is now an associate I at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

Study tips: "It is essential to read the candidate learning pack and to fully understand the main ideas in each topic. Listening to the explanations of the facilitators in the workshops can help to clarify ideas. When it comes to the written exam, it may not be appropriate to spend lots of time searching through the materials that we bring along. With the main ideas in our mind, we can try to express what we think of the topics and complete all the questions without leaving any blank. Only refer to the materials we bring in if we can locate the things we want immediately."

Module D (Taxation)
Top prize winner Cheung Yin Man, Monica, obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration in professional accountancy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2006. She is now an associate II at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Study tips: "I advise QP students to adhere strictly to the schedule of workshops when planning their study. This helps them to participate fully in the workshops but at the same time leaving sufficient time for revising past exam papers. When considering reference materials, students should try to research thoroughly on topics that they are not familiar with by reading relevant academic books or ordinances."

Cheating in module workshop

A QP candidate who enroled in Module A (Financial Reporting) of the February 2006 session was found cheating in the module workshop. The candidate was caught when giving an individual presentation and admitted to cheating. The Institute has settled this case by disqualifying her from the module as a whole, requesting her not to renew her student registration and removing her from the register for 2007. Students should be aware that the Institute may, at its discretion, take a tougher position by referring the case to the Institute's Disciplinary Committee, as empowered under the Professional Accountants By-law 34 (1)d - Disciplinary Provisions.

Candidates should comply with all examination regulations as detailed in the candidate handbook. Any unprofessional conduct designed to deceive the Institute may result in disqualification from the entire examination or studentship.

Revision courses

The Institute will offer revision courses for candidates sitting the modules B and D examinations in March 2007. Click here for more information.

Name:

Xerxes Chow

Job Title:

Finance Manager

Company:

Proview International Holdings Limited

Click here to see Chow's career profile:

- career and study history

- job involvement

- career achievement

- career progression

Experience requirements for membership admission

Are you currently working under an Institute-authorized employer or supervisor? If not, please urge your employer or supervisor to apply for registration with the Institute so your experience can be accepted for membership. In case your employer or supervisor is not qualified for registration, you can apply to the Institute for an external authorized supervisor.

It is very important for you to note that if you apply for membership on or after 1 January 2008, you are obligated to fulfil your experience requirement under an authorized employer or supervisor for the whole length of your practical experience. In other words, experience acquired before 1 January 2005 which was not under authorized employer or supervisor, will not be counted as part of your practical experience for membership admission.

List of authorized employers and supervisors

The Institute's Council has recently approved 31 applications for authorized employers and 66 applications for authorized supervisors. Click here for the list of newly registered employers and supervisors.

A full list of all authorized employers and authorized supervisors can be found on the Institute's homepage.

Qualifications and technical expertise will always be the foundation on which your accounting career is built. But there are many other finance professionals out there with the same qualifications and experience. If you want to make it to the top of your profession and stand out from your peers, developing a range of leadership skills is critical.

What are leadership skills and how do you develop them? Click here for the top five skills requested by employers.

Contributed by Mr Jason Hemes, Corporate Communications Manager, Michael Page International.

Applying for continuing education fund

The QP is a reimbursable course under the government's continuing education fund. If you wish to claim for module(s) taken in February 2007 session, please submit your application before 5 February 2007. Click here for more details.

CPA Source - Your job hunting tool

Want a new offer in the Year of the Golden Pig? Want to focus your job search to accounting or audit-related jobs only? The Institute has tailor-made "CPA Source" to enhance your job hunting efficiency! As a token of appreciation from the Institute, members who have been successful in gaining a new job via "CPA Source" will receive a souvenir. Simply click here for details.

MPhil/PhD Programmes in Lingnan University

Lingnan University is now inviting applications for admission to their MPhil. and PhD. programmes 2007-08. Please click here for application and programme details.

Esprit offers

Apparel brand Esprit is offering members and students membership in its club, free of charge. Click here to enjoy exclusive privileges in 2007.