AIA ENIC INTERNATIONAL QUALIFICATION COMPARISON PUBLISHED

The new AIA professional qualification has been independently assessed by the UK National Information Centre (UK ENIC, formerly NARIC) for global qualifications and skills, ensuring it remains at the appropriately high specification.

AIA first commissioned the independent evaluation and benchmarking of the updated AIA Professional Qualification (PQ) for assessment in November 2021, in relation to the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) in the United Kingdom.

The overall aim of this benchmarking exercise was to facilitate wider understanding of the comparable educational levels of all three levels of the programme and the AIA International Accountant (IA) designation.

The report found the following comparability in the context of the UK education system, as follows:

 

In 2022 AIA commissioned an additional independent evaluation and benchmarking of the updated AIA Professional Qualification (PQ) for assessment in relation to four international qualifications frameworks: India, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and the People’s Republic of China.

An in-depth comparison of the AIA PQ content and assessment was conducted as part of the comparative analysis in the context of the UK system in 2021. The findings and recommended levels of comparability of the AIA PQ and the three exit qualifications against the RQF in 2021 were used to determine an appropriate range of reference points in the international education systems. A comparative analysis was subsequently conducted against framework level descriptors and qualification levels in China.

The report found the following comparability in the above frameworks as follows:

The assessment of the qualification used a well-established methodology for benchmarking qualifications to examine each qualification’s entry requirements, duration, structure, content, learning outcomes, modes of learning, assessment, and associated outcomes.

AIA President Shahram Moallemi said, “As part of the AIA's ongoing qualification evaluation cycle, UK ENIC (the UK national agency for international qualifications and skills) recently completed an independent review and found the AIA professional qualification to be comparable to Master’s degree or a postgraduate diplomas across four international jurisdictions. The assessment and findings will help individuals and organisations accurately assess the AIA professional qualification, make further international comparisons and reassure those using the services of AIA members that they can expect the highest standards.”

AIA also maintains its recognition as a Recognised Qualifying Body (RQB) for statutory auditors in the UK, as a Prescribed Body under the Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act 2014 in the Republic of Ireland, and as a supervisory body under the UK and ROI Money Laundering Regulations.