It was recently revealed that the University of South Africa’s (Unisa) accounting programmes were being reviewed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). This raised alarm bells as students, both past and present, were unsure of the consequences of this review process.
SAICA has come out and unambiguously stated that Unisa’s accounting programs remain accredited by the body. The process of accreditation aims to ensure the graduates of that programme have the competencies needed for the work. It is therefore crucial for both the university and the students that the qualifications are accredited.
Unisa’s College of Accounting Sciences (CAS) invited a delegation from SAICA as the university aimed to improve its programme offerings to ensure that they remain relevant and aligned to the needs and current trends in the accounting profession.
“In SAICA’s recent accreditation visit to Unisa, areas of improvement were identified for which Unisa has already submitted a plan to address the matters outlined in the SAICA report. Institutions of higher learning have previously been in a similar position and have successfully implemented the relevant remedies” explained the accreditation body.
SAICA said their process of accreditation is a partnership between them and the education institution. They add that they work with the institution to ensure their accreditation status is preserved, which is in the best interest of the students.
The areas of a programme that can be improved upon, will be discussed with the institution to maintain the accreditation status and SAICA will not discuss their findings with other parties.
“Therefore, graduates who already hold a SAICA accredited Unisa qualification, should rest assured in the knowledge that their qualifications are fully accredited by SAICA'' concluded the body.
