Practical experience: views from the ground   Examination matters   Student matters   How to do well in QP   Student programme   Technical updates   Route to success with QP   Practical experience   Golden rules of writing well   For your information   Upcoming events       Authorized employer: Andrew Ma DFK (CPA) Limited Member-in-charge: Mr. Felix Lee, Practising Director (on the left of photo) Counsellor: Mr. Stephen Yau, Director (on the right of photo) Registered as an AE: 3 years No. of QP students under supervision: 10 In the drive to win in today's competitive commercial environment, businesses look to leverage their advantages over their competitors. Andrew Ma DFK (CPA) Limited (AMDFK) believe they have found a way to achieve this. Like many CPA firms in Hong Kong, AMDFK's core business comes from audit assurance, due diligence, tax advisory and financial analysis services. What distinguishes them is their alliance with DFK International. DFK is a conglomerate of over 300 independent accounting firms and business advisers across the world. For clients with cross border interests, like investing in China, this gives the firm a competitive edge. Mr Felix Lee, practising director of Andrew Ma DFK (CPA) Limited, believes that the firm must develop its potential and it has been an authorized employer (AE) under the Hong Kong Institute of CPA's Qualification Programme (QP) since 2005. "QP really helps us recruit the right people," says Felix who is also the member-in-charge under the Institute's AE scheme. Click here for details.         QP examination attendance dockets for modules A & C (February 2008 session) and final examination (June 2008 session)     Examination attendance docket and Hong Kong identity card are required to be presented for sitting the QP examinations.     Important dates Procedures Dates to receive an examination attendance docket Modules A & C Wednesday, 7 May 2008 onwards Final examination Thursday, 8 May 2008 onwards Candidates will receive an examination attendance docket from the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. Candidates please contact the Institute on 2287 7046 for all enquiries about the dockets. Cut-off date to obtain a duplicate copy of examination attendance docket Modules A & C and final examination Friday, 16 May 2008 (Registration time: 9:00 am - 12:00 noon) Candidates who have not received the examination attendance docket should contact the Institute to obtain a duplicate copy before the cut-off date. A duplicate copy of the examination attendance docket may not be issued to candidates who do not approach the Institute by the cut-off time. Examination dates Saturday, 24 May 2008 Sunday, 1 June 2008 Module A: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Module C: 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Final examination Paper I: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Paper II: 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.     Examination regulations     Candidates should read the examination regulations carefully. The regulations are published in the candidate handbook and examination attendance dockets. Candidates are reminded that breaching the examination regulations may render your script booklets unmarked. In the past two years, TEN candidates' script booklets were UNMARKED as they had violated the examination regulations. The following are some of the examination regulations that candidates must follow strictly:     Reading time (for final examination candidates only) During the reading time in the final examination, candidates are only allowed to read the questions; plan and organize their answers such as jotting down points on the question booklet or flagging the relevant information on the materials brought into the examination hall, etc. Candidates are NOT permitted to organize the answers on rough paper. If you wish to write down any points, it must be done on the question booklet. The writing of answers in the script booklet is NOT allowed until candidates are instructed that they may do so by the examination supervisor.         Examination identification requirement Candidates are required to bring examination attendance dockets and Hong Kong identity cards/passports to the examination centre on the day of the examination. In the absence of Hong Kong identity cards/passports, you are required to show your student registration cards for identification purpose. If you are unable to produce such identification documents or the identity cannot be satisfactorily verified, you may not be permitted to sit the examination.     Use appropriate script booklet Candidates are required to use the appropriate script booklet to answer the respective sections of the examination paper, i.e. case on the case script booklet, essay/short questions on the essay/short questions script booklet. Failure to do so may render your examination scripts unmarked.     Do not tear the script booklet pages or take away script booklets from the examination hall     Write the question numbers clearly     Do not use pencil     Violation of workshop rules     The Institute's Examinations Board has recently received a reported case that some QP students were found in possession of written notes containing confidential information relating to workshop additional questions and answers via email circulation. The notes were written in a comprehensive style, suggesting that photo-taking and/or voice-taping devices could have been used in an earlier workshop group when the workshop facilitators went through the answers to the workshop additional questions. Workshop additional questions are used for assessment purpose. If students disclose the questions or the topics covered by the questions to other students attending the later classes, it will create an unfair advantage. As such, the Institute makes it an examination rule that students should keep the workshop additional questions confidential and limit their discussion on them to their workshop group only. Making notes or recording discussions in relation to the additional questions and/or smuggling such notes or recordings out of a workshop in any form is strictly prohibited. Students must not obtain or attempt to obtain improper assistance in later workshops by using such notes or recordings, and must not transmit such notes or recordings to other students. Students should note that possessing and transmitting confidential information on the workshop additional questions without the Institute's proper authorization will constitute a violation of the examination rule which may potentially result in disqualification from the whole module (i.e. both workshop and module examination components) and possible disciplinary action. As QP registered students, you have an ethical obligation to help maintain a fair and equitable workshop assessment. Students should report to the Institute any solicitations or disclosures breaching the confidentiality of workshop assessment questions.         Library opening hours during examination period     To help QP candidates in their examination preparation, the Institute is pleased to announce the extension of its library opening hours during the period from 13 to 30 May 2008. The extended hours for the period are as follows:   Monday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Sunday & public holiday Closed     Collect your candidate learning packs for the May 2008 session QP students who have enrolled in the May 2008 session can collect their candidate learning pack(s) at the Institute's service counter on 27/F, Wu Chung House during the office hours from 23 May to 6 June 2008. Collect your study materials now to get off to a quick start!     Application for continuing education fund The QP is a reimbursable course under the Government's continuing education fund (CEF). To apply for CEF, please submit your application before 26 May 2008 for module(s) offered in the May 2008 session. Click here for more details. Should you wish to obtain information regarding the CEF, please visit its official website at:- "http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef"     New release of questions and answers booklets The QP questions and answers (Q & A) booklets for modules B and D (September 2007 session) and final examination (December 2007 session) are now available for sale at the Institute's reception desk. Each booklet costs HK$45. Alternatively, QP candidates can enjoy free online access to the Q&A at the QP learning support centre or read them at the Institute's library.         Our prize winners share the ways to succeed in QP examinations. Good luck in your examinations!       Tips for examination success:     Before examination Develop a well-structured study plan to achieve a comprehensive review of all examination topics. Study as early as possible. Go through the candidate learning pack and past examination papers - clear references should be made to help you find the relevant information quickly. Familiarize yourself with the special topics of the examination. For final examination, pay attention to the inter-relationships among the concepts covered in different modules. Study with colleagues and friends who can "refuel" your motivation. Learn from your workplace for practical insight. During examination Read the examination questions very carefully. For final examination, make good use of the reading time to analyse the case questions, highlight key points and link the questions to your own critical file. Structure your answer before writing. Avoid spending too much time on a single question. Avoid copying irrelevant materials into the answers.               Online module preparation seminars Webcast videos of module preparation seminars for module A (financial reporting) and module C (auditing and information management) held on 8 and 9 March 2008 are now available online, free-of-charge, to assist your examination revision. Please visit the QP learning support centre to watch the videos.     Basketball competition Organize your team to participate in the CPA basketball competition 2008 in May and June. Please enrol by 28 April.         Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has issued a new guide on IFRS 5 Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations. Click here for details.           Name: Karen Keng Job Title: Financial Analyst Company: Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Limited   Click here to see Karen's career profile: - career and study history - job involvement - career achievement - career progression         Authorized employer/supervisor experience for membership admission     For admission to membership of the Institute, practical experience acquired on or after 1 January 2005 will only be counted if it is gained under an Institute-authorized employer or supervisor. If you are not currently working under an authorized employer or supervisor, please urge your employer or supervisor to apply for registration as an authorized employer/authorized supervisor with the Institute, so that your practical experience can be accepted for membership admission. Click here for more information. In case your employer/supervisor is not qualified for registration, you may apply to the Institute for an external authorized supervisor.     List of authorized employers and supervisors     The Institute has recently approved 15 applications for registration as authorized employers and 27 applications for authorized supervisors. Please 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. For enquiries on practical experience, please contact our admission department on tel. 2287 7049 or 2287 7353.         Gillian Christine, a freelance editor and proof-reader, gives you some guidelines on how to use ellipsis, slashes and capital letters appropriately. Click here for the full article. This article was first published in the Chartered Accountants Journal (September 2007) of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA) and is reprinted with permission from Ms. Gillian Christine and the NZICA.         QP early bird reaches new heights     The Institute recorded a 12 percent year-to-year increase for its QP registration under the "early bird" scheme last month. A total of 750 university graduates enrolled under the scheme are making use of the summer for QP study. The Institute now has more than 12,000 registered students.     Accredited programmes for QP     The Institute's Accountancy Accreditation Board has recently approved the accreditation of the following accountancy programmes for QP admission, with the validity ending month indicated in parenthesis: - Bachelor of commerce (honours) in accounting & banking, Chu Hai College of Higher Education (March 2010) - Master of accountancy (part one), the Chinese University of Hong Kong (April 2010) - Kaplan conversion programme (Shanghai) (December 2009) For the full list of accountancy programmes accredited by the Institute, please refer to our homepage. In addition, the Board also approved the re-accreditation of CPA Australia's course on Hong Kong law and Hong Kong taxation for exemption from the Institute's aptitude tests for the purpose of admission to CPA membership of the Institute. The re-accreditation of this course is valid up to June 2010.     CPA Source - your career development partner     CPA Source is a free career matching platform exclusively for the Institute's members and students. Activate your free account and manage your resume here. A wide range of hot jobs is available now: Project Accountant, Accountant, Assistant Accountant, Audit Senior, Audit Assistant/Semi-Senior, Audit Trainee, Audit Junior CPA Source Hotline: 2287 7888.         Print friendly version Dates     Events April       5 April E - Module preparation seminar for module C 6, 13, 20 & 27 April E - Final examination revision course 7 April P - Workshop on work & non-work negotiations 11-13 April Q - Modules A & C - 3rd workshops 15 April P - Seminar on overview of latest auditing standards 25 April Q - Modules B & D - enrolment application deadline 26 April E - Module preparation seminar for module C 27 April E - Module preparation seminar for module A         May       2-4 May Q - Modules A & C - 4th workshops 4 May E - Final examination revision course 7, 14 & 21 May P - Workshop on auditing planning and completion 11 May O - CPA 2008 basketball competition 17 & 24 May P - Workshop on accounting and financial due diligence 18 May E - Final examination revision course - mock examination and debriefing 23 May P - Seminar on HKAS 12 income tax 24 May Q - Modules A & C examinations 26 May Q - Modules B & D - module commencement         June       1 June Q - Final examination 2 June P - Seminar on fraud and investigation 4 June P - Seminar on Hong Kong tax updates 10, 16, 23 & 30 June P - 會計應用普通話研習班 11 June P - Seminar on guidelines on the tax treatments in DIPN 43 and 44 12 & 19 June P - Workshop on analyzing financial statements 13 - 15 June Q - Modules B & D - 1st workshops         July       3 July P - Seminar on corporate restructuring and insolvency - a practical approach 4-6 July Q - Modules B & D - 2nd workshops 7 & 14 July P - 會計應用普通話研習班         August       1-3 August Q - Modules B & D - 3rd workshops 2 August Q - Modules A & C examinations - results announcement 9 August Q - Final examinations - results announcement 22-24 August Q - Modules B & D - 4th workshops         September       27 September Q - Modules B & D examinations         E : Examination assistance functions Q : QP events P : Practical training functions O : Other events         Technical articles CPA Source A Plus CPD programmes e-Learning programmes New books HKIAAT news TechWatch