Advanced Business Education Limited
ABEL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Institute, governed by a Board of Directors comprising Keith Rushbrook, David Macdonald, Professor Roger Field, Professor Fawzi Laswad and the Institute’s chief executive, Terry McLaughlin. ABEL also has an independent Academic Board, chaired by Fawzi Laswad, charged with monitoring the quality of the Professional Competence Programme (including both PCE 1 and PAS/PCE 2.)
Where from – where to?
ABEL has been operating the current Professional Competence Programme for more than 11 years and considers that the time is right for the programme to be comprehensively reviewed. While considerable review work has been undertaken by ABEL over the past year or two, the opportunity presented by the Institute’s current review of its overall admissions policy now allows the work undertaken by ABEL to be positioned as part of that overall review.
Because the Professional Competence Programme has been very successful in developing the professional skills of those seeking to join the Institute, current indications are that there will be little change in the programme arising from the review process.
Importantly, the focus of the programme will remain on those skills required of a professional operating in the fields of accounting and/or financial management. The programme develops these skills in the context of selected accounting and business issues and current technical issues, using a case studies-based learning methodology.
The 2007/2008 year
We’ve seen unprecedented numbers enrolled in both PCE 1 and PAS/PCE 2. Enrolments for the 2008 PAS/PCE 2 programme total 811 candidates, who by enrolling have signalled their intention to achieve the Chartered Accountant designation. In 2007, 773 candidates were enrolled in PAS/PCE 2 and the overall pass rate achieved on completion of PAS/PCE 2 for that year was 94%.
PCE 1 is offered three times in each year and during the period July 2007 to June 2008 enrolments in this programme totalled 1549. The average pass rate for these three sittings was 86.3%. People seeking to achieve any of the Institute’s designations (Accounting Technician, Associate Chartered Accountant or Chartered Accountant) are required to successfully complete PCE 1.
As in previous years, the success of ABEL in 2007/2008 has been built on the professionalism and commitment of its small full-time staff and its very large group of contractors who are involved in moderating, authoring, reviewing, facilitating, marking and supervising examinations. Approximately 87% of this team are members of the Institute and their involvement shows the level of commitment made by many members to the future of the profession.
Gill Cox
Executive Director