The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory
Authority in Singapore (ACRA) has tightened the focus on auditing,
financial reporting standards and ethics in a new look CPE
programme that will roll out next year.
Singapore’s accounting regulator also extended
the time required to obtain the qualification from one year to
three years.
ACRA said the new syllabus will offer greater
flexibility in selecting non-core CPE expertise and includes
tailored requirements for CPAs who are judicial managers and
approved liquidators.
ACRA chief executive Juthika Ramanathan said
the changes to the CPE framework aim to make public accountants’
CPE obligations clearer and focused on core public interest areas
while at the same time enabling accountants to better manage their
niche learning needs.
The CPE extension period to three-years allows
CPA’s greater flexibility to manage CPE requirements according to
their priorities each year. The number of CPE hours required to
complete the programme remains unchanged.
The first three-year rolling period applies
with effect from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2013.
Singapore has embarked on a strategy to become
a regional accountancy hub that produces high quality accounting
talent. These plans will involve developing a new professional
qualification.
