UG and ACCA working to establish Dual Award covering Accounting programmes

The University of Guyana (UG) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) are working to establish a Dual Award Programme, which would see graduates acquiring both a Degree from the University, and an Advanced Diploma from the ACCA.

Head of ACCA Caribbean, Paula Marcelle-Irish made the announcement on Monday, as officials from the University of Guyana and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants met at the Turkeyen Campus to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to advance their partnership, with the support of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana.

Marcelle-Irish said the dual programme could better position students for the world of work.

“It will allow students to graduate with both their UG degree and the ACCA’s advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business through one integrated pathway. That will be a game changer for employability, mobility and professional readiness,” the Head of ACCA Caribbean said.

The ACCA Caribbean official also said the dual pathway would provide students with the opportunity to register with ACCA, and begin their professional exams, even as they complete their Degree programme.

Already, the University of Guyana’s School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI) has achieved a major milestone in Accounting education with the accreditation of its Bachelor of Accountancy Degree Programme by the ACCA.

Noting that the MoU builds on the existing relationship that ACCA shares with the University, Marcelle-Irish said it is more than just a formal agreement.

“UG has already made tremendous progress. Your BSc Accountancy Programme has been awarded four ACCA exemptions, a significant achievement that reflects the quality of your curriculum and the dedication of your faculty. Our next step together is to enhance the syllabus further so that students can benefit from additional exemptions as they progress into the ACCA qualification,” the Head of ACCA Caribbean said.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin said the enhanced partnership between the University and ACCA will help to accelerate the professional development of those in the field allowing them to acquire both academic and professional certification.

“We have young people in the country and we want them to be able to operate in a professional space as quickly as possible but as robustly as possible. So, we don’t want people trying to do things for which they are not qualified and not properly trained. And so, this is one of the intentional ways in which we are trying to do that,” the outgoing Vice Chancellor said.

Head of the University’s Department of Accounts, Dr Alfred Aaron said for seven years, the Department conducted extensive review of its work to reach the ACCA standard and achieve the required accreditation.

It was explained that while UG graduates have previously benefited from ACCA exemptions on an individual basis, this is the first time the institution has secured formal accreditation for the programme itself.

The accreditation brings significant benefits for both current and future students pursuing careers in accounting, finance, auditing, and related fields.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Accountancy programme from 2026 onwards who pursue the ACCA qualification will be eligible for exemptions from four papers: Business and Technology (BT), Management Accounting (MA), Financial Accounting (FA), and Corporate and Business Law (LW).

This means graduates will only be required to complete nine remaining ACCA papers on their path to obtaining the globally recognized professional qualification.

“Beyond strengthening our existing relationship, it provides a framework for a deeper collaboration in curriculum development, professional engagement, and capacity building for the University and our students as well,” Dr Aaron said.

It was noted that the accreditation was achieved with tremendous support from the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana.

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