Win with the ACCA Advantage Programme The Academy

www.pwc.com/ro/theacademy Win with the ACCA Advantage Programme The Academy

Contents A word from the The Academy Leader 3 ACCA Advantage Programme 4 ACCA Advantage Programme Study Option 6 Other Study Options 7 ACCA with The Academy at PwC 8 Computer Based Exams 10 What is ACCA? 11 ACCA Advantage Programme Courses Overview 12 Why study ACCA? 14 How do I qualify? 15 How long will it take to qualify? 16 ACCA Exams 17 The ACCA Ethics Module 19 The ACCA Work Experience Requirements 20 How do I register for ACCA? 21 PwC 2

Welcome to our ACCA Advantage Programme! Dear clients, The Academy at PwC is pleased to offer a full ACCA qualification for Romania. Whether you are new to ACCA or a returning student, we are excited to present our new courses, tutors, and study options for 2012. Our ACCA vision is simple to provide a premium teaching and support service that establishes the highest possible levels of quality and leverages our knowledge and experience as a leading professional services firm. Mihai Aniţa Partner The Academy Leader Your success at ACCA is our first priority and our years of experience with thousands of ACCA students has shown us that the right learning makes all the difference between success and failure at ACCA. Our students regularly score some of the highest pass marks in the world and their success at ACCA is based on our ACCA Advantage Programme. A winning combination of supported self study, regular progress tests and an intensive, focused teaching course before the exam has proven to be the most successful model for our ACCA students and clients. Good luck with all of your exams in 2012! Mihai 3 ACCA Advantage Programme

ACCA Advantage Programme Welcome to the ACCA Advantage Programme, our ACCA examination study system for 2012. Our blended and interactive learning incorporates a guided self-study scheme, face to face tuition, and feedback and support from our educational and administrative teams at The Academy. In Romania The Academy at PwC is an ACCA Gold Approved Learning Partner. This accreditation is given to tuition providers who show excellence in meeting the quality standards for ACCA tuition challenging performance targets. ACCA has also accredited The Academy as an ACCA CPD Provider (Continuing Professional Development). This allows The Academy to offer all our training programmes and seminars to ACCA Members (for CPD units). PwC 4

Our study for the ACCA qualification at The Academy is based on years of experience in ACCA training at PwC in Central and Eastern Europe. It is designed to give our students the best possible chances of passing all of their examinations on the first attempt. Our training for the Fundamental papers F1 F3 is based on a future success model all future papers are based on a basic understanding of the syllabus of these foundation setting examinations. We therefore encourage all students to take tuition courses to link their understanding of key syllabus components to future examinations, even if they are exempted from these papers. These papers can be sat at anytime at PwC with the use of our CBE facility with no administrative fee. With years of experience in audit and taxation, we use the knowledge and skills of our own auditors and tax specialists to teach variant papers, and develop our own comprehensive materials for F6 Romanian Taxation. And it is not just about passing exams! Our tutors show you how you learn from self-study and which courses directly apply to your profession, whether you are an auditor or an analyst. Students at The Academy have access to a wide range of study resources from our experienced educational support staff, all of whom form a greater ACCA network in Central and Eastern Europe encompassing 27 countries and 45 offices. All of our tuition courses includes mock examinations to test your knowledge and show you just how much you need to study before the real exam and what to focus on. It is also an opportunity to practice under examination conditions. Our tutors provide constructive feedback summaries and individual analysis within 8 days of completion of the mock exam. 5 ACCA Advantage Programme

ACCA Advantage Programme Study Option Phase 1 Guided Study Programme 1 Pre-Course Study The earlier you start the better your results! Receive your Kaplan books and The Academy Course Notes well before any tuition! Learn how to structure your time for advanced preparation with a Home Study System, guiding you through the key areas of theory and syllabus. The Home Study Guide will save you time and help you prioritize in the weeks leading up to the tuition preparation season! 2 Online Progress Tests Do your practise questions from The Academy Course Notes and on the Kaplan Engage on-line system, check your answers, and test your knowledge and retention. Key to success is knowing the syllabus and time management in answering the questions. 3 Written Monitoring Tests Writing in English can be challenging under examination pressure. Practice makes perfect, so we provide you with written tests and assignments created by your tutor to enhance your skills, techniques, and presentation style. Phase 2 Face to Face 4 Block Intensive Courses A review of key theoretical topics from the Guided Study Programme, intensive question practice, examination techniques, professional and presentation skills, and the all essential mock examination are all part of our focused interactive learning courses. Our tutors will work with you as individuals and groups to highlight everything you need to know to pass your exams and expert advice on HOW to do it! Phase 3 Focused Revision 5 Course & Individual Feedback Mock examination feedback and study advice from your tutors will not only test your knowledge retention from the course, but guides you to the final stage of preparation. Read through comments on your content, style, and presentation skills and contact your tutor for further advice! 6 Final Revision Get the latest Exam Tips, tutor advice, and a selection of additional on-line tasks to complete in those final days before the real examination! PwC 6

ACCA study options with The Academy at PwC ACCA Advantage Programme Details can be found on page 6. Focused Practice and Revision Study Option If you missed part of your tuition course, are taking an exam for the 2nd time, or if you just want to guarantee your success, sign up for our Focused Practice and Revision Course. Two days on intensive question practice reviewing past exams, covering the topics that are sure to appear in every examination session, focus on exam technique, time for your questions. A student is expected to come to the course already knowing the theory from the book. A B Focused Practice and Revision Course Complete Learning Set of materials from Kaplan Publishing The Academy Course Notes Recommended study plan and exam advice En-gage online study programme and progress tests Mock exam after the course marked by the tutor (optional) Home Study Option materials only For students who wish to study independently with no further support from The Academy, we can provide full study materials at a generous discount from standard UK prices. C Complete Learning Set of materials from Kaplan Publishing En-gage online study programme and progress tests 7 ACCA Advantage Programme

ACCA with The Academy at PwC We focus on providing the following to our ACCA clients and students: Quality Commitment: The ACCA scheme outlined in this brochure is based on the study scheme used by PwC to achieve success at ACCA. Our students regularly score some of the highest pass rates in the region and we consistently achieve pass rates around 20% higher than the Global average. Quality Study Materials: We use Kaplan Financial Training materials. Kaplan is a leading UK based provider of ACCA study materials and their students consistently score many of the highest ACCA global pass marks. Quality Tuition: The Academy tutors are all experienced teachers and business professionals who bring a great combination of their PwC working experience and knowledge into their teaching. Our teachers know business and they know teaching ACCA the ideal combination. Competitive ACCA: We teach ACCA for many of our PwC professionals. Building on this established and using our PwC facilities allows us to offer our clients the same excellent teaching quality at reduced rates. The Academy Facilities: Come join us on the PwC premises café, lounge area, fully equipped classrooms CBE Centre, interactive teaching tablets, and online access. PwC 8

The Academy will provide a dedicated, experienced ACCA co-ordinator for clients to provide the following ACCA service and examination support: Registering students for relevant exams/ resits directly with ACCA Glasgow Receiving and distributing exam results from ACCA to students Producing a summary of results and analysis for management Dealing with any queries on exemptions/ exam entry issues with ACCA Providing advice on e-learning support testing and assessments Registering and providing Computer Based Testing for The Academy registered students Sending study plans/timetables and joining instructions to students This support service is available FREE of charge for all students registering for our PwC tuition courses in 2012. 9 ACCA Advantage Programme

Computer Based Exam (CBE) Centre The Academy at PwC is an ACCA Approved Computer Based Examination Centre (CBE). Students have the ability to sit computer-based exams for papers F1 F3. The main advantage of the CBE system is flexibility you can sit these examinations at any time of the year. In addition, you may resit the exams as often as necessary. Students also receive their exam results on screen immediately after completion and they are uploaded to your ACCA account within 72 hours. PwC will provide the use of the facility and administration of the examinations Free of Charge for any students who are registered with the The Academy for our ACCA support services. For more information on our CBE centre or to sign up for examinations, please contact us at the.academy@ro.pwc.com. PwC 10

What is ACCA? The ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is one of the largest and fastest growing international accountancy bodies. It is recognised and respected in 170 countries and currently has over 500,000 members and students. The ACCA Qualification is designed to provide the accounting knowledge, skills and professional values that will deliver finance professionals who are capable of building successful careers across all sectors, whether they are working in the public or private sectors, practising in accounting firms, or pursuing a career in business. The ACCA Qualification embeds the global accounting education standards set by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). There is a strong focus on professional values, ethics, and governance. These skills are essential as the profession moves towards strengthened codes of conduct, regulation, and legislation with an increasing focus on professionalism and ethics in accounting. These are examined at the highest level in the ACCA Qualification and are a core element of your practical experience requirements. The ACCA is most suitable for those that aspire to become professionals in any sector of business. No previous knowledge of accounting or finance is required to start ACCA studies. All you need is the motivation to make a significant investment in time to achieve success. Whether you are a high school or university graduate, or already working professionally in business, ACCA provides routes into the profession for everyone. 11 ACCA Advantage Programme

ACCA Advantage Programme Courses 2012 Start F1 F2 05-09 November 26 Nov-05 Dec 2012 F3 12-21 November 26 Nov-05 Dec 2012 Knowledge Module ACCA Affiliate Options Module P7 24-28 September 2012 P4 P5 08-12 October 2012 PwC 12

F4 15-19 October 29 Oct-02 Nov 2012 F5 10-14 September 17-21 September 2012 F6 24-28 September 01-05 October 2012 Skills Module F7 10-14 September 15-19 October 2012 P3 10-14 September 2012 Essential Module P2 29 Oct-02 Nov 2012 Ethics Module P1 17-21 September 24-28 September 2012 F8 08-12 October 22-26 October 2012 F9 01-05 October 15-19 October 2012 13 ACCA Advantage Programme For a full list of Focused Practice and Revision Courses, please visit www.pwc.com/ro/theacademy

Why study ACCA? ACCA members and students know more about business than their colleagues, making them more likely to be promoted and receive higher salaries. Holding the professional ACCA qualification illustrates your quality over others in the business or finance profession, making you more likely to be selected for more challenging jobs. The ACCA syllabus is fully comprehensive you will learn to understand and master all the processes involved in how a business or financial organisation works. ACCA is not just for accountants. Members have the knowledge and skill to succeed in other areas such as business consulting, taxation, IT, strategic planning, and general management. PwC 14

How do I qualify? In order to qualify as an ACCA member, you need to complete 14 examinations (students holding relevant university degrees may be exempted from up to 9 exams), relevant practical work experience and an Ethics Module. Examinations are held in the first two weeks of June and December every year. Students are permitted to sit a maximum of 4 examinations per session. The papers F1 Accountant in Business, F2 Management Accounting, and F3 Financial Accounting may be sat at any time during the year as Computer Based Examinations (CBE). Before applying for ACCA Membership, the Professional Ethics Module must be completed. It is an online training system designed to expose students to a range of ethical perspectives. You receive access to the module once you are eligible to sit the paper P1 Governance, Risk & Ethics. It is highly recommended that students sit the module before or at the same time as their training for the P1 examination. A key component of the ACCA Qualification is gaining relevant practical experience. The ACCA Qualification will prepare you for a challenging and often demanding career as a professional accountant and, like all professions, it is not sufficient to solely rely on theoretical knowledge developed through an exam process to help achieve this. Students are required to complete 3 years of relevant practice experience to achieve 13 performance objectives (9 Essential objectives and 4 out of 11 options). 15 ACCA Advantage Programme

How long will it take to qualify? It generally takes 3 to 4 years to complete the examinations, together with the Ethics Module and the relevant 3 years of work experience. It may be possible to finish earlier depending on how many exemptions are granted as the result of your educational background and if you have already accumulated enough work experience. Prepare early! ACCA Exams ACCA Membership Professional Ethics Module Relevant work experience PwC 16

ACCA Exams Fundamental Level The Fundamentals level is divided into two modules Knowledge and Skills. The Knowledge module (F1 F3) introduces students to the core areas of financial and management accounting. This provides the platform from which the other technical accountancy areas will be studied in greater detail in the Skills module. Knowledge Module Paper F1 Accountant in Business (AB) Paper F2 Management Accounting (MA) Paper F3 Financial Accounting (FA) The Skills module (F4 F9) contains six subjects that comprehensively cover the main technical areas that any accountant regardless of their future career aspirations are expected to have mastered. These comprise law, performance management, taxation, financial reporting, auditing, and financial management. Skills Module Paper F4 Corporate and Business Law (CL) Paper F5 Performance Management (PM) Paper F6 Taxation Romania (TX) Paper F7 Financial Reporting (FR) Paper F8 Audit and Assurance (AA) Paper F9 Financial Management (FM) 17 ACCA Advantage Programme

ACCA Exams Professional Level The Professional level is divided into two modules: Essentials (P1 P3) and Options (P4 P7). Both modules have been set at an intellectual level equivalent to that expected of a student taking a Master s degree. The focus of the syllabus at this level is to build upon the technical skills already acquired, and explore more advanced professional skills, techniques, and values that are required and used by the expert accountant acting in an advisory or consultancy role at a senior level. Students select two out of four Option papers and are advised to choose the options that relate to their chosen or anticipated field of work. All students must complete the three papers in the Essentials module. The Options module contains four papers. These are directly underpinned and supported by their equivalent within the Skills module in the Fundamentals level. These exams assess the more advanced and sophisticated techniques that a professional needs in order to specialise in specific areas at work or to follow as a career pathway in an advisory or consultancy role. Essentials Paper P1 Governance, Risk & Ethics (GRE) Paper P2 Corporate Reporting (CR) Paper P3 Business Analysis (BA) Options Paper P4 Advanced Financial Management (AFM) Paper P5 Advanced Performance Management (APM) Paper P7 Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA) PwC 18

The ACCA Ethics Module Ethics is an integral component of the ACCA qualification, directly appearing in 11 of the 14 examination papers and in all of the essential work experience performance objectives. The Ethics Module is an online training course accessible at any computer with an internet connection and its aim is to expose student to a range of ethical perspectives in business. It is recommended that students complete this module before they sit the paper P1 Governance, Risk & Ethics. In addition, statistics show that completion of this module before the P1 tuition course greatly increases a students understanding of the syllabus and results in higher examination pass rates for all Professional Level examination papers. The ethics module is a key component to P1 training at The Academy. All students are required to sit the module in conjunction with the tuition courses, and completion is mandatory before applying for ACCA membership. More information on the Ethics module can be found at www.accaglobal.com/students/acca/ethics 19 ACCA Advantage Programme

The ACCA Work Experience Requirements Gaining relevant practice experience is a key component to the ACCA qualification. In the demanding accounting and business professions, it is essential to link your theoretical knowledge from the examinations to practical applications in the workplace. The ACCA Practical Experience Requirements (PER) are closely linked to the exam syllabus to further develop your skills in the workplace. The framework of the PER enables you to achieve a high level of knowledge, ability, and ethics in the workplace, demonstrating to employers that you are the right person for the job. ACCA students are required to achieve a set of objectives over a 3 year period working in an accounting or finance-related role and record the completion of the PER through the Trainee Development matrix (TDM). There is no time limit to complete the PER, though it is necessary to complete it before applying for ACCA membership. You will need to seek your employer s assistance to gain your PER, so it is up to you to choose the right employer to meet your requirements. To meet the ACCA PER qualification, you will need to complete all nine Essential performance objectives and 4 Options. PwC 20

How do I register for ACCA? Registration can take place at any time; however, if you wish to take part in specific paper-based examination sessions, the following deadlines apply: June Examination December Examination Register by 8 April of the same year Register by 8 October of the same year The supporting documents for registration are as follows: The application form; A passport size photograph; Copies of educational documents and or reference letter; A copy of your birth certificate. Official translations are required for where documents are not in English. In order to sit exams at a specific session these will need to be received by ACCA by the closing dates above. The postal delivery time for Romania, using the local mail service, is 14 days. We do not take responsibility for delays in the postal system. Register for courses online at www.pwc.com/ro/theacademy or fill in the registration. Mail it or bring it in person to The Academy at PwC, Lakeview Building 301-311 Barbu Vacarescu Street, Bucharest. Questions? If you have any additional questions, please contact: Sevi Luchian Client Relationship Responsible Tel: 021 225 3832 Fax: 021 225 3600 E-mail: the.academy@ro.pwc.com 21 ACCA Advantage Programme

Student Enrolment Form Student details Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss Surname Forename Date of Birth Company ACCA number Work telephone Mobile telephone Personal email address Work email address Address How did you hear about The Academy at PwC? Have you previously studied with The Academy? YES / NO If no, where did you previously study? Why did you decide to study with The Academy? Subject Indicate Advantage or FPR course dates, Home Premium, or Home Study Option Subject Indicate Advantage or FPR course dates, or Home Study Option F1 P1 F2 P2 F3 P3 F4 P4 F5 P5 F6 P7 F7 F8 F9 I / we can confirm that I / we have read, understood and accept the terms and conditions and privacy policy detailed on www.pwc.com/ro/theacademy Signature 2012 PwC. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL), or, as the context requires, individual member firms of the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity and does not act as agent of PwCIL or any other member firm. PwCIL does not provide any services to clients. PwCIL is not responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any of its member firms nor can it control the exercise of their professional judgment or bind them in any way. No member firm is responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any other member firm nor can it control the exercise of another member firm s professional judgment or bind another member firm or PwCIL in any way.

The Academy at PwC Romania Lakeview Building 301-311 Barbu Vacarescu St. Bucharest 2 Email: the.academy@ro.pwc.com Telephone: 021 225 3832 0730 404 330

www.pwc.com/ro/theacademy 2012 PwC. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL), or, as the context requires, individual member firms of the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity and does not act as agent of PwCIL or any other member firm. PwCIL does not provide any services to clients. PwCIL is not responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any of its member firms nor can it control the exercise of their professional judgment or bind them in any way. No member firm is responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any other member firm nor can it control the exercise of another member firm s professional judgment or bind another member firm or PwCIL in any way.