ICAEW and CIPFA launch new qualification

The ICAEW and CIPFA have paired up to create a new qualification for finance professionals working in the public sector that will cover International Financial Reporting Standards and their public sector equivalents the International Public Sector Accounting Standards.

The certificate in International Public Sector Financial Reporting is an e-learning programme. It comes at the same time central government and NHS trusts are adopting IFRS for their 2009/10 accounts, and the first local authority IFRS-based accounts are to be produced in 2010/11.

Around 70 hours of study with online assessment will be involved in the certificate, which will cover all international standards.

CIPFA chief executive Steve Freer said: ‘Finance staff throughout the public sector faced with the special demands of the new International Financial Reporting Standards will benefit from this unique and tailored qualification, which is the latest example of the close working relationship between CIPFA and the ICAEW.’