ICAZ signs MoU with Nust

06 Oct, 2014 - 08:10 0 Views

The Sunday News

Roberta Katunga Senior Business Reporter
THE Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe on Friday last week signed a memorandum of understanding with the National University of Science and Technology in a bid to capacitate the institution to be the first university in Zimbabwe to offer a post-graduate diploma in Certificate of Theory in Accounting.Speaking on the MoU, Matabeleland Society chairperson Mr Tapiwa Chizana said in the past the post-graduate diploma was provided by South African universities and ICAZ saw the need to localise it by empowering local tertiary institutions.

“When someone wants to become a chartered accountant, they need to do an accounting degree then the CTA diploma before undertaking the final CA exams. Nust becomes the first institution to sign this MoU with us,” said Mr Chizana.

ICAZ president Mr Bothwell Nyajeka, who was at the signing ceremony with chief executive officer Mr Matts Kunaka, NUST registrar Mr Fidelis Mhlanga as well as the chairperson of the Department of Accounting Mr Dumisani Madzivanyati, said CTA was a course that students needed to qualify to become chartered accountants as well as to be ready for industry.

“ICAZ has over 1 600 members and 50 percent of those are outside the country. Our profession and training is world-recognised hence this partnership with Nust is a big step,” he said.

Nust Department of Accounting chairperson Mr Madzivanyati said the institution was going to offer a one-year full-time course and said they had a record of producing the best students.

He said the first intake would be next year in February.

“It is no secret that our students excel in this industry (accounting) hence we are honoured to be the first university to provide this course. We will partner with the University of Johannesburg for resource support,” he said.

The signing of the MoU coincided with a welcome luncheon for seven newly qualified Matabeleland chapter ICAZ members.

Speaking at the luncheon, Mr Nyajeka urged chartered accountants to uphold the three values of the institute which are transparency, integrity and professionalism; as these were a background for any economy and investors relied on them to make decisions based on the financial figures they produce.

He said there had been an overall increase in membership at the institute which was commendable as the profession had a lot to offer.

“We are responsible for producing financial figures that investors rely on when making investment decisions and we provide financial information that benefits the economy. Chartered accountants should strive to always be the voice of reason,” said Mr Nyajeka.

Meanwhile, ICAZ South African members will from 3-4 October hold an investor conference in Polokwane in a bid to market and showcase Zimbabwe as a good investment destination.

The conference will be held under the theme “Zimbabwe now ripe for investment”.

“This is a chance for the outside world to have face to face discussions on investment in Zimbabwe with players in the private sector and Government officials. We want to play our part in solving the economic challenges in the country by coming up with solutions,” said Mr Nyajeka.

He said there were more than 200 members in SA.

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