USM PENANG, 21 August 2021 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Malaya (UM) has entered into a strategic collaboration initiative that will offer Accounting students a coordinated route to a degree from USM and UM respectively and the professional qualification of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

This strategic credit partnership provides unique options to accounting students in both Universities in pursuit of a premier professional qualification, paving the way for a greater variety of opportunities, rewards and influences in their future career in accounting and finance, both locally and globally.

It will also be beneficial to employers in the Accountancy sphere and more broadly in the corporate sector, as well as to the regulatory community.

Through this partnership, USM Accounting degree graduates will now be only required to take the last 3 modules at the Advanced Level.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan said, the strategic collaboration will provide the students with a future-proof career and accompanying skills which will be indispensable, as local and foreign investments rightly grow and will be ever more focused on the environment, sustainability and corporate governance.

“I believe that the partnership with ICAEW, being a globally-acknowledged professional body, would create a pathway for USM to be able to stand proud with advocates within the Accounting fraternity from other highly-esteemed educational institutions,” he said during the commemoration event held virtually on 19 August 2021 via Zoom.

He added that, “In line with the vision of ‘Transforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow’, USM is very committed in pursuing concerted efforts towards designing the best talents among her students to enable them to transform their socioeconomic well-being and contribute to a sustainable future.”

ICAEW Deputy President, Julia Penny said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank those involved for all the hard work and dedication that went into making this possible. I strongly believe that this model will attract attention globally and will enhance the reputation of both our organisations.”

Also present were the Director-General of the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia Professor Datuk Dr. Husaini Omaras the guest of honour; Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaya, Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr. Mohd Hamdi Abd. Shukor, Head of ICAEW Malaysia, Loh Wei Yuen and the Dean of USM School of Management, Professor Dr. Noor Hazlina Ahmad.   

ICAEW is a member of the Chartered Accountants Worldwide (CAW), which brings together 11 chartered accountancy bodies, representing over 1.7million members and students globally.

Text: Mohamad Hafiz Asyraf Mohd Arop/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa