SEVEN Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) final-year students from Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TARUC) did the institution proud when they aced the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) November 2019 Strategic Case Study (SCS) paper.
With marks higher than CIMA's global average, the achievement was made even sweeter when they were able to pass the SCS ahead of their graduation.
The seven students are Yeoh Hao Jing who scored 114 out of 150; Lee Soo Yee, 108; Scholastica Lau Sang San, 93; Ping Meng Wai, 90; Kam Keen Onn, 89; Wong Siew Nam, 89; and Chow Hui Yee, 82.
They were enrolled in CIMA's A-Star Programme, which serves as a pathway for them to become Chartered Global Management Accountants (CGMA). After passing the SCS paper and gaining three years of relevant work experience, they can apply for CIMA membership and become CGMA designation holders.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Kam and Lee credited TARUC for providing them with the facilities and environment to thrive and succeed.
"The lecturers and tutors at TARUC really built up my foundation in accountancy, and this motivated me in taking the CIMA paper. The library at TAR UC provided many helpful materials, and this had helped me a lot in my preparations for the exam," Kam said.
"The Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) programme covers most of the syllabus for CIMA. For example, before I joined the A-Star programme, I have already learnt two out of three of the strategic level subjects, namely, risk management and financial strategy. The courses provided by TARUC prepared me well for the SCS paper and eased the process because I was basically just revising what I had already learnt," said Lee.
Asked about what advice they would give to those hoping to emulate their achievement, they said students who are enrolled in the A-Star Programme and intend to sit for the SCS paper should make preparations as early as possible.
"They should understand all the theories first, then refer to additional materials such as past year papers and business journals in order to come up with better answers. They should also improve their critical thinking skills as they will need to figure out their answers from different perspectives," Kam said.
"Do not be afraid to try! Yes, the process of preparation might be tough but it is worth all the hard work when you pass the exam. Even if you fail, you can always retake the paper, but the main thing to remember is never give up in trying to achieve your goals," said Lee.
TARUC has an extensive and well-established relationship with CIMA which dates back to 1971, when it first prepared students for the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (ICMA) professional qualification.
Since 1986, ICMA was renamed as CIMA, and TARUC's academic achievements and exceptional support for students taking CIMA papers have earned it the CIMA Global Learning Premium Partner status.
Graduates from TARUC's Diploma in Accounting programme are exempted from the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, and graduates from the Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) programme, the Bachelor of Business (Honours) Accounting and Finance programme, and the Master of Business Administration programme are exempted from 11 of CIMA's 16 papers.
Final year students from the Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) programme are also given the opportunity to attempt the CIMA Management Case Study and Strategic Level papers under special arrangement with CIMA.
