SAICA reaffirms the status of Unisa’s accounting qualifications

The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) has moved programmes offered by Unisa’s College of Accounting Sciences (CAS) from a previous rating of three to continued full accreditation. This means that SAICA has continued its affirmation of Unisa’s accounting qualifications as they meet, to an appropriate extent, the education and related requirements.  

This follows various interactions between CAS and SAICA.  The latter reported the outcomes of such interactions to its Academic and Professional Programme Subcommittee (APPSC) and the Initial Professional Development Committee (IPD). The committees assessed the actions taken by Unisa in response to the recommendations carried in the initial reports of earlier this year (2022). 

Both committees concluded that the actions taken by Unisa in respect of the improvement plan constitute adequate responses to the earlier recommendations and resolved that the following Accounting Sciences programmes continue to be accredited. 

• Bachelor of Accounting Sciences in Financial Accounting (SAQA ID 101110)
• Advanced Diploma in Accounting Sciences (SAQA ID 90559)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting Sciences (bridging) (SAQA ID 90912)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Accounting Sciences (SAQA ID 85107)

 These programmes will remain on the list of accredited programmes on the SAICA website.

 SAICA and the Unisa team will continue to have ongoing engagements to promote and enhance quality assurance, monitor progress on the improvement plan, and ensure that Unisa’s Accounting Sciences programme offerings remain relevant and aligned to the needs of the market and current trends in the accounting profession.  

“This latest SAICA report bears testimony to the hard work and long hours invested by the college in improving the programme and addressing any deficiencies previously identified,” says Dr Moses Hlongoane, Acting Dean of CAS.  “This report is welcomed as it provides great assurance that our SAICA programme at Unisa remains fully accredited.”

Of all institutions of higher learning in South Africa, Unisa is the largest contributor of accounting professionals in the country. It simply means majority of them graduated from Unisa.

“We will continue with our social mandate to produce more chartered accountants in our country as well as driving the transformation agenda in the profession,” says Professor Cameron Modisane, Acting Deputy Dean of the College of Accounting Sciences.  “We wish to assure you, our valued students and alumni, that the accreditation of all our SAICA programmes was never under any threat, but this is a reaffirmation that the accounting programme offerings are still relevant and enjoy full accreditation by SAICA.”

* Packaged by the Department of Institutional Advancement