Strategic Business Leader and other changes in ACCA qualification

On 26 June, PwC Academy delivered an open presentation Strategic Business Leader and other changes in ACCA qualification involving representatives from ACCA Ukraine, and namely Ms. Zhanetta Onyshchuk, Head of ACCA Ukraine, Belarus and Caucasus States, and Ms. Victoria Kibenko, Student and Member’s Adviser.

To ensure the ACCA Qualification reflects what employers require in newly qualified finance professionals ACCA continually assesses the Qualification, updating it where necessary to stay relevant with modern ways of working.

Strategic Business Leader (SBL) is a new comprehensive exam introduced by ACCA from September 2018.

SBL includes case studies representing relevant real life business issues and challenges.

SBL structure is based on 8 key professional competencies encompassing: 

• Leadership, communication skills and professionalism
• Strategy
• Finance
• Risks
• Organisational control, etc.

The new case study-based exam covers the newest areas, such as technologies and data analysis, innovations and change management.

Student scripts will be marked based on communications, commercial acumen, analysis, scepticism and evaluation skills demonstrated.

The new exam will take 4 hours, including one hour reading and planning time. In writing their answers and drafting reports, students have to take into consideration the circumstances of company, including presentations and reports, e-mails, analytics and diagrams, meeting minutes, given in the exam scenario. This allows students to gain practical skills necessary for their professional life.

During the presentation, PwC Academy team presented the key features and specifics of the new comprehensive exam.

Attendees of the event had an opportunity to work individually to solve some questions from the new comprehensive exam and deliver the results to the entire audience. 

Moreover, the attendees had a chance to learn about the structure and context of the new exam, as well as to analyse several options of the solutions with a tutor and understand the approach to exam paper marking. 

The attendees had an opportunity to ask their questions and to network with ACCA and PwC Academy representatives.