CIMA celebrates record-breaking year and strengthens global presence

•  Over 29,000 new students and more than 5,700 new members join institute in 2012

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has announced record growth figures for 2012 as the institute’s global footprint continues to expand. Over 29,000 new students joined CIMA last year, taking the total population of students and members to over 200,000.

CIMA, already the world’s largest professional body of management accountants, enjoyed massive growth in new and emerging markets. A record number of new students in Poland and Russia chose CIMA whilst Bangladesh and Ukraine saw an increase of 303% and 235% respectively. Nigeria’s new student acquisition almost doubled in 2012.

The institute’s core markets also grew significantly with record numbers of new students and members in the UK and Sri Lanka, and record numbers of students signing up in South Africa and Malaysia.

Andrew Harding FCMA, CGMA, Managing Director, CIMA, said: “We have once again seen exceptional growth figures as ambitious school leavers, graduates and professionals identify CIMA as the global qualification which will best support their career ambitions. CIMA has received extremely positive feedback from employers across the world. They recognise CIMA as having the most consistent standards worldwide, and as the most valued qualification in terms of mobility – both cross-departmentally and between countries.  

“We have strengthened our global profile through a successful joint venture with the AICPA; a groundbreaking move which has shaken up the accountancy profession. We established the CGMA designation last year in response to a need for skilled people who can bridge the gap between business, strategy and finance and a global designation to recognise their abilities. We are very proud to now have over 129,000 CGMA business experts, who are guiding critical business decisions at the world’s top organisations.”

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, founded in 1919, is the world’s leading and largest professional body of Management Accountants, with over 203,000 members and students operating in 173 countries, working at the heart of business. CIMA members and students work in industry, commerce, the public sector and not-for-profit organisations. CIMA works closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly updating its qualification, professional experience requirements and continuing professional development to ensure it remains the employers’ choice when recruiting financially-trained business leaders.

Professionalism and ethics are at the core of CIMA’s activities with every member and student bound by rigorous standards so that integrity, expertise and vision are brought together.

CIMA has formed a joint venture with the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) to establish the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation. CGMA is the global quality standard that further elevates the profession of management accounting.

CIMA is proud to be the first professional accounting body to offer a truly global product in the fast-moving area of Islamic finance.