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The world's largest professional accountancy body - ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) - today launched its range of innovative products and services for its new continuing professional development (CPD) programme, ACCA Realise. This programme will be the first of its kind in the world and uses the latest in portal technology to meet global, local and individual CPD needs.

Phased in from January 2005, the CPD programme will be a requirement for all 100,000 ACCA members working in every industry and position, throughout their careers.

Allen Blewitt, Chief Executive of ACCA, said: "The global nature of our CPD programme and its ability to meet the needs of our culturally and geographically diverse membership makes it unlike any other. Not only is our range of CPD products and services unique to the accountancy profession, it sets a global benchmark for other accountancy bodies and, indeed, other professions to follow, as its principles and criteria will be rigorously applied to all organisations, regardless of their size, sector, or location.

"By making the most of what the IT world has to offer in terms of 'e-learning' and by forging strategic alliances with global providers of online courses and training - BPP, Mentor-uk.com, Servecast and Thomson NETg - we will meet our members' and their employers' demands for information and training when, how and where they want it. We at ACCA are proud to be the first accountancy body in the world to introduce this service for our members."

The products and services respond to and are the result of consultation with over 10,000 ACCA members and employers around the world. They reflect cultural differences, recognise the many ways people learn and focus on work tasks, business objectives and personal development, rather than the traditional 'clocking up' of hours on CPD courses.

From 25 October, ACCA qualified finance professionals will be able to benefit from the following CPD products and services:

• The Professional Development Matrix - this unique planning tool enables members to identify their learning needs, the most effective way they learn and their future career aspirations. Real case studies are used to demonstrate what skills and knowledge are required in different jobs.
  
• An online knowledge library provides easy access to information for members and brings together all ACCA's published material, including technical reports, feature articles, responses to consultation documents and exam questions and answers. It also includes links to a range of external research resources.
  
• Around 150 online courses covering a range of business skills and technical training.
  
• ACCA Plus ACCA's Approved CPD Employer status recognises employers' adoption of good standards of practice in the workplace relating to professional development of accountants and finance employees. Employers who achieve this status receive a broad range of support and tools to help implement their respective CPD programmes.
  
• Comprehensive guidance on how to obtain CPD including, for example, fact sheets on effective mentoring and coaching
  
• List of events and training opportunities throughout the world. This global information source will be enhanced by the introduction of a new registered training provider scheme, which will identify training providers who meet ACCA's quality standards.

Stephen Heathcote, ACCA Head of Training & Development, added: "With demand from regulators and accountants themselves to work to the highest of standards, it is essential that our finance professionals continuously update their professional knowledge, personal skills and competencies. These developments in CPD will also serve to emphasise further the differences between qualified and unqualified accountants, which will be of benefit to qualified accountants, their existing and potential clients and the general public alike."

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