The AAT have recently released several radio adverts to attract new students to enrol with The Association of Accounting Technicians.

The video clips [ http://www.aat.org.uk/radio/ ] all feature real life AAT students or professional members. Please use the links below which will enable you to watch each of the featured participants talking about their experiences via You Tube. 

• http://goo.gl/tUo3C
• http://goo.gl/LFe0B
• http://goo.gl/8rGz5

Visit www.aat.org.uk to find our more about the AAT and their qualifications.

The IFA's revamped website is now available to view for members, students, prospective members and anybody else who would like to take a look.

The main changes to the website are simpler navigation and dedicated membership and student areas - therefore, once you log in you can access areas which are not available to non-members or students.

For more details on the release of the IFA's new website please click on the link below:

http://www.ifa.org.uk/news/2012-01-31/new-website-live/

Following on from their successful bid in gaining full IFAC membership in November 2011, the Institute of Financial Accountants have announced that they will be releasing their new revamped website on 1st February 2012.

For more details of what IFA members and students can expect from the new website, please click on the link below:

http://www.ifa.org.uk/news-and-events/news/view/283

At a Council meeting on 7 December the ICAEW agreed to extend until 31 December 2012 the period for allowing Pathways applications for ICAEW membership from UK-based applicants.

Council was concerned that some firms and individuals had not realised that the UK route under Pathways was scheduled to close at the end of 2011 and wanted to ensure that they had the opportunity get their applications in before the route closed.

To qualify for dual membership with the ICAEW you must have been a full member of one of the following UK bodies for a minimum of 5 years; ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA. For more information please use the link below.

http://www.icaew.com/en/join-us/members-of-other-bodies/pathways-to-membership/apply-for-pathways-to-membership

The 'Institute of Financial Accountants' (IFA) has applied for full membership of the 'International Federation of Accountants' (IFAC).

To date, all of the bodies that have been granted full membership in the UK have been either Chartered or Certified. Therefore, it would be a huge step forward for the non-chartered bookkeeping and accounting bodies if the IFA achieve their goal. 

The big announcement will take place on 17th November 2011; when the IFAC board will decide if the IFA's application has been successful.

Read the IFA news blog here: http://goo.gl/hI8HO

Links to the accountancy bodies mentioned in this article are available below:

• 'International Federation of Accountants' website: http://www.ifac.org
• 'Institute of Financial Accountants' website: http://www.ifa.org.uk  

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has announced a new strategic partnership with four UK universities. The offering gives CIMA students the opportunity to acquire a bachelor’s or master’s degree whilst also studying towards their CIMA qualification.

The Universities participating in the scheme are:

• Manchester Metropolitan University 
• Robert Gordon University
• Nottingham Trent University
• Aston University

Please follow the link below for more information:

http://www.cimaglobal.com/Study-with-us/Combining-CIMA-with-degrees/

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) have released the latest pass rates for the June 2011 exam sitting.

196,000 students took more than 373,000 papers, with 6,294 students successfully completing their final ACCA examinations. A further 2,978 students completed the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) exams.

ACCA will be moving to a new e-assessment examination model, with the first papers transitioning to the new system in 2012, with all papers being phased over the next few years. ACCA already offers Computer Based Exams (CBE), first introducing them in 1998, and has since implemented e-paper production and e-marking of its scripts.

The June 2011 Exam Session ACCA Qualification Pass Rates were as follows:

 Paper F1, Accountant in Business, 70%*

Paper F2, Management Accounting, 57%*

Paper F3, Financial Accounting, 55%*

Paper F4, Corporate and Business Law, 55%

Paper F5, Performance Management, 37%

Paper F6, Taxation, 51%

Paper F7, Financial Reporting, 38%

Paper F8, Audit and Assurance, 40%

Paper F9, Financial Management, 38%

Paper P1, Governance, Risk and Ethics, 52%

Paper P2, Corporate Reporting, 50%

Paper P3, Business Analysis, 47%

Paper P4, Advanced Financial Management, 30%

Paper P5, Advanced Performance Management, 35%

Paper P6, Advanced Taxation, 45%

Paper P7, Advanced Audit and Assurance, 31%

JUNE 2011 SESSION CAT PASS RATES:

Paper 1, Recording Financial Transactions, 59%*

Paper 2, Information and Management Control, 56%*

Paper 3, Maintaining Financial Records, 57%*

Paper 4, Accounting for Costs, 60%*

Paper 5, Managing People and Systems, 57%

Paper 6, Drafting Financial Statements, 76%

Paper 7, Planning, Control and Performance Management, 45%

Paper 8, Implementing Audit Procedures, 43%

Paper 9, Preparing Taxation Computations, 64%

Paper 10, Managing Finances, 47%

* Combined pass rates for paper-based and computer-based exams.

For further information visit www.accaglobal.com.

If you’re a part-qualified student or full member of the ACCA, ICAEW, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAS or IFA, the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is offering you AAT full membership.

The AAT recently said it has a "public and professional interest to regulate the accountancy profession for all individuals working in the finance and accountancy sector".

Therefore accountants with an accounting qualification equal to, or above the AAT’s own qualification are being encouraged to join the body.

The AAT is an associate member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and membership of the body is highly regarded by employers.

To learn more please visit www.aat.org.uk/joinmaat.

The Financial Skills Partnership has announced that they have successfully issued Specification of Apprenticeship Standards in England (SASE) and Specification of Apprenticeship Standards in Wales (SASW) – non statutory - compliant apprenticeship frameworks on the Apprenticeship Framework Online (AFO) website.

•        Level 2 and 3 Apprenticeship in Payroll;

•        Level 2 and 3 Apprenticeship in Book-keeping;

These have been issued in advance of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills deadline, and all apprenticeship frameworks have been developed using a robust quality assurance process, to ensure that learners access quality provision. The funding agencies will now begin the process of funding allocations in England and Wales, and have informed us that this will take up to four weeks.

Please visit The Financial Skills Partnership website at http://www.fssc.org.uk/771329_5.html for further information.