The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a global body for professional accountants, has signed a contract with Summit Consulting Group to deliver all ACCA examinations online through an innovative eAssessment program.
The contract with Summit means that ACCA's move to online delivery will bring greater choice and access for employers and students around the world who choose ACCA qualifications for their professional training.

Commenting on the contract signing, Helen Brand, ACCA's chief executive said, "ACCA was founded on distinct core values, one of which is innovation.  As a global professional accountancy body, we have a proud tradition of leading the way in new developments, particularly those that create greater opportunity to access a highly-regarded international professional accountancy qualification."

She added, "This new development with Summit is the next step in our journey.  As we develop our new eAssessment model, ACCA will be able to test students' knowledge and skills in a way which more accurately reflects real-life workplace scenarios and activities.  Employers have told us that this is what they want for the future.  Also, feedback has shown that employers and students want greater flexibility and options of when our globally-recognized qualifications can be taken and not just twice a year as is the current model with ACCA."

John Sotiros, president of Summit Consulting Group said, "Summit has long been a leader in providing innovative solutions to the testing marketplace.  We are very excited to be partnering with ACCA, the leading global body for professional accountants.  The coupling of our innovative technology with ACCA's global presence will redefine the way computer-based testing is done. Our industry will be a tremendous beneficiary of these efforts now and well into the future."

Helen Brand added, "The world of work is changing, becoming increasingly online.  We are therefore now working towards new ways of developing professional skills which will meet the needs of employers in the online world.  ACCA is innovating to develop and support the e-professional, and Summit's technology and expertise will enable ACCA to assess work-ready professional accountants with the skills needed in this increasingly online world."

Summit Consulting Group will work with ACCA to introduce online assessment on a phased basis, ensuring its existing computer-based exams (CBE) will still be available.  The first exams will transition to the new system in 2012, with all papers being phased over the next few years.

ACCA already offers CBEs, first introducing them in 1998, and has since implemented online paper production and online marking of its scripts.

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