Launch of standalone CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting Program in Sri Lanka

Standing from left: Thenu Peiris (IT Consultant, Genius School of Professional Studies), Kanchana de Silva (Group General Manager, Achievers Lanka Business School), Venkkat Ramanan (Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific – Management Accounting, Association of International Certified Professional Accountants), Chinthaka Wijayaratne (Group General Manager, Wisdom Business Academy), Thilina Wijewardena (Business Development Manager, Imperial College of Business Studies), Haleem Athem (Director, Institute of Global Knowledge) and Keith Alles (Manager, Galle Branch, Apex Business Academy). Seated from left: Suranjith Ratnayake (Director, Genius School of Professional Studies), Theo Soumyraj Theo Soumyraj (Chairman, Wisdom Business Academy), Faris Ismail (CEO, Achievers Lanka Business School), Andrew Harding (Chief Executive - Management Accounting, Association of International Certified Professional Accountants), Sivabaskaran Shanmugam (Director Operations, Imperial College of Business Studies), Deshani Gamage (Director, Apex Business Academy) and S. Mayooran (Director, Mayzone College)

Andrew Harding, Chief Executive – Management Accounting of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants was in Sri Lanka recently to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with CIMA’s learning partners in the country. This MOA will promote CIMA’s Certificate in Business Accounting (Cert BA) as a stand-alone qualification, with Sri Lanka being the first country to launch this program, followed by its expansion to other parts of the world.

Whilst the Cert BA offers an entry route into the CIMA Professional Qualification, it is also a qualification in its own right. Cert BA provides a solid understanding of fundamental accounting, management and business principles, supporting the development of skills in financial reporting, forecasting and data analysis. 

Commending the quality of CIMA’s learning partners in Sri Lanka, Andrew said: “I am extremely proud of the high standard of tuition provision by our learning partners in Sri Lanka and once again, they are trailblazing this new initiative of a standalone Cert BA. Sri Lanka is an important market for the Association. Both CIMA and the American Institute of CPAs have established this new Association to combine resources, strategies and people which gives us more efficiency, effectiveness and far stronger influence. We are genuinely global, with 650,000 members and students in public and management accounting.”

Venkkat Ramanan (Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific) of the Association was also in attendance for the MOA signing ceremony. Addressing the gathering of learning partners, Venkkat elaborated: “As a professional body, we are responsive to market needs. It is a source of great pride to see the provision of educational services in the country. Wider reach of educational qualifications is important, and this program is designed to give access to different segments of the market.”

 Pix by Ruwan Walpola