24 November 2014

ACCA: Upskilling public sector and government finance professionals essential for economic development and public accountability

Given the pace of change and size of expenditure in the public sector, it is critical that finance professionals are equipped with the right skills and competencies to deal with challenges ahead.

Building financial skills, capability and capacity for the public sector is a key aspect of economic development and public accountability, said ACCA as it launched the Certificate in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (Cert IPSAS).

The ACCA Cert IPSAS has been specifically developed for public sector organisations to train their staff so they can meet the challenges of implementing IPSAS – the global accruals-based accounting standards used for the preparation of general purpose financial statements by governments and other public sector entities.  

Gillian Fawcett, Head of Public Sector at ACCA, says: “The ACCA Certificate in IPSAS has been developed to support and build strong financial reporting based on internationally recognised financial reporting standards for the public sector. It has also been created in response to high demand from the public sector to ensure that qualifications help to build the financial reporting capabilities of public sector organisations, transparency and accountability and ultimately value for money for public funds.

“Globally, the direction of travel is for governments and NGOs to move to IPSAS reporting, so this Certificate will mean that the skills gained are transferrable across public sector organisations and across countries.

“The IPSAS certificate will give finance professionals working in the sector, or wanting to work in the sector, stronger and more relevant financial reporting skills. Both individuals and their employers will benefit from having IPSAS financial reporting expertise, as it is a necessary component for improving the accountability and transparency of the public purse.”

Press release

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