CMA (Australia) completes 20 years since the qualification was first introduced to Sri Lankan professionals in 1998. 

The CMA (Australia) final qualifying workshop was introduced to Chartered Accountants in Sri Lanka by the Institute of Chartered Accountants. The 19th workshop is scheduled to be conducted by the Academy of Finance in February this year. 

A qualified accountant, finance degree-holder or holder of a Masters specialising in finance can become a Certified Management Accountant (Australia) by completing the seven-day intensive programme on Strategic Cost Management and Strategic Business Analysis. The programme is facilitated by ICMA (Australia) CEO Prof. Janek Ratnatunga. Since 2017, the qualifying programme has been conducted twice a year in order to accommodate the growing demand.

CMA (Australia) Graduate Conversion Programme was later introduced by the Academy of Finance in 2006. Since then, the academy has facilitated twenty graduate conversion programme intakes over the past 12 years.  This entry route to qualify as a CMA (Australia) provides an excellent path for university graduates and qualified professionals to become a Certified Management Accountant within one year. Nearly 800 qualified marketers, engineers, bankers and HR professionals have benefited from the programme.

The full Graduate Conversion Programme comprises of four comprehensive modules covering financial modelling, with insights to financial accounting and Excel modelling, management accounting, financial statement analysis and an in-depth module in financial management. The assessments are based on a combination of examinations and assignments.

The most high-demand entry path is available for qualified MBA holders who are entitled to a fourteen-subject exemption route with two additional modules to be completed in six months, followed by the seven-day qualifying workshop. This has become the ideal qualification for the dynamic corporate executives aspiring to climb the corporate ladder faster. ICMA (Australia) Regional Director for Sri Lanka Kapila Dodamgoda commented: “Module contents perfectly aligned to the business executive’s knowledge gaps and organisational requirements, comprehensive coverage and the excellent panel of lecturers have contributed to the popularity and success of the program during the past two decades.”

Dodamgoda further commented: “ICMA candidates holding middle to senior managerial positions with professional maturity, corporate experience and solid academic qualifications make use of this qualification as a stepping stone to General Managerial positions and Board level appointments.”

Academy of Finance is the exclusive academic partner for ICMA (Australia) programs in Sri Lanka. As seats for the February workshop are already filled, registrations are currently open for the second Qualifying Workshop in August 2018. Registrations are also in progress for the Graduate Conversion programme commencing in late January.