CPA Australia charts route to success

Regional manager for South Vietnam Huynh Thien

How are your concepts of building and managing CPA Australia’s presence in Vietnam different from other educational institutions?

CPA Australia has over 150,000 members across 120 countries. As our membership has grown, we have seen CPAs (Certified Practising Accountants) spread across the globe. Almost one quarter of our members now reside outside Australia, with just over 30,000 in the Asian region. These established global networks give CPA Australia a unique business perspective, and our members here in Vietnam benefit from our experience in developing and managing rigorous, high-quality education programmes in different markets around the world.

We pride ourselves on thought leadership and sharing our knowledge with others. Here in Vietnam, we hold events for members, young accounting professionals, and students to brush up on their knowledge. Through collaboration with our business partners, we have also co-hosted professional events to support the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and other accounting laws in Vietnam.

As part of our commitment to developing the accounting profession in Vietnam, we have provided hundreds of scholarships to outstanding students and young professionals to support their journey towards becoming a CPA. We are also a main sponsor for region-wide accounting contests that nurture the leaders of tomorrow.

Who are your main business partners and members in Vietnam? How do they contribute to the success of CPA Australia here?

CPA Australia has had a presence in Vietnam since 2008. Over the past seven years, we have worked closely with the Ministry of Finance, the State Audit of Finance, and professional bodies in accounting (VAA), audit (VACPA) and tax (VTCA) to strengthen the accounting profession in Vietnam. We have developed partnerships with the “Big Four” accounting firms and many multinational companies operating in Vietnam to further enhance the recognition of the CPA Australia designation.

We have also established long-term partnerships with universities in Vietnam to support accounting education and enable students to obtain the CPA Australia designation.

We currently have more than 600 members in Vietnam and many more are studying to become members. This will ensure that Vietnam has a resource of highly-skilled accounting and finance professionals well into the future.

Why is an internationally recognised designation valuable? Do you foresee a rising demand in the CPA designation?

The CPA Australia designation is a valuable asset and a career passport for any professional who holds it, and this is particularly so for those in Vietnam where there is an increasing demand for accountants and auditors. As the CPA designation is globally recognised, employers know that by hiring a CPA Australia member they come with established skills in leadership, strategy, and international business, as well as transferable technical accounting skills. The quality of our CPA Program is unquestionable – as it has been recognised with an ISO 9001 certification for our excellent quality management system.

In the coming years, there will be increased pressure for Vietnam to work towards the full adoption of IFRS. CPA Australia will continue to work with our strategic partners here in Vietnam to make sure that local accountants and auditors have the skills and capacity to meet future challenges. CPA Australia, with its global network and history of providing superior accounting education, is ideally placed to help Vietnam develop accounting and business professionals of the highest calibre.