HKICPA partners with Zhongnan University of Economics and Law to cultivate international accounting talents

The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) and Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL) jointly organized a seminar on high-quality development of accounting professionals and a certificate presentation ceremony on 13 May 2026. HKICPA has entered into a partnership with the School of Accountancy at ZUEL. By accrediting four undergraduate programmes — namely, Accounting, Accounting (CICPA), Financial Management and Financial Management (CIMA Track) — the HKICPA offers students preferential access and streamlined arrangements for taking the Qualification Programme (QP). Students enrolled in these programmes will enjoy benefits including QP module exemptions, examination fee discounts, and early QP registration. At the ceremony, Arthur Lee, Chief Executive and Registrar of HKICPA, presented the accreditation certificates to ZUEL, marking the official launch of the cooperation on the accredited programme. The HKICPA also held a well-attended QP seminar at ZUEL in the afternoon to brief students of accredited programmes on QP examination arrangements and registration benefits.

Arthur Lee, Chief Executive and Registrar of HKICPA, said, “HKICPA’s QP is widely recognized in major international capital markets. HKICPA holds mutual membership recognition agreements or mutual examination papers exemption agreements with 11 accounting bodies in Chinese Mainland and overseas. These strategic partnerships unlock domestic and international career opportunities for our members, while elevating their professional value. As a highly influential university in the fields of finance, economics, politics and law in Central China, ZUEL boasts a strong alumni network and high-quality student base. This cooperation has established solid platform for the Institute’s further development in Central China and marks a brand-new starting point. We look forward to joining hands with ZUEL to cultivate more international talents for the accounting profession.”

Prof. Chen Shenglan, Academic Dean of the School of Accountancy at ZUEL, said, “The successful accreditation of our four undergraduate programmes by HKICPA marks a significant achievement in the School's efforts to advance its international education initiatives and deepen the integration of our curriculum with global professional accreditation systems. it not only represents a strong endorsement of the School's educational standards and the quality of its talent development, but also creates an important pathway for our students to access the international finance and accounting profession. We look forward to leveraging this opportunity to further strengthen out partnership with HKICPA, and to explore additional avenues for collaboration in student development, faculty advancement, curriculum enhancement and professional education.”

Since 2009, HKICPA has collaborated with Chinese Mainland universities through accredited programmes, accumulating extensive experience and establishing a solid network of partner universities. To deepen exchanges and cooperation with Chinese Mainland universities, HKICPA launched the "New Partnership Scheme" in 2024. Under this scheme, HKICPA will conduct QP module exemption assessments for nominated university courses, facilitating eligible students to undertake the QP via a streamlined pathway. Additionally, participating universities and students will benefit from exclusive educational resources designed to accelerate their journey toward HKICPA membership. Over the past two years, the programme has expanded from its initial five partner universities to include seven universities that have successfully completed the assessment. These include (in no particular order) Nankai University, Xiamen National Accounting Institute, Beijing University of Technology, Liaoning University, Jilin University of Finance and Economics, Shenyang Agricultural University and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

In addition to deepening collaboration with Mainland universities to provide students with a clear learning pathway for their QP journey, HKICPA is also actively expanding its network of Authorized Employers and Authorized Supervisors. This enables QP graduates to gain recognized work experience and become qualified Hong Kong CPAs, while broadening career prospects for professionals aspiring to long-term development in the accounting profession and laying a solid foundation for their future.

^{Arthur Lee, Chief Executive and Registrar of HKICPA (Fourth from Left), presented the accreditation certificates to ZUEL.}