Hi Andries, I would definitely agree with you and I live in South Africa. What really gets my goat is the employment agencies advertising jobs where they say Bcomm or CIMA - dammit, its much more than a degree! A point I always raise on questionnaires that CIMA send out is that there is not enough awareness of the brand in SA and I think more needs to be done with regard to advertising. Perhaps we need to do more in the way of networking? (Having worked at auditing firms, I know that this is one thing that SAICA does on a regular basis). I would certainly support such efforts.

Hey guys, I'm new on the forum. My aim as a CIMA student is to try and go global to get some experience, especially in the UK. There was a newsletter sometime last year, saying that ACMAs are not affected by recession (unless they use it to market themselves). I have learnt that people who possess international experience are celebrated in this country, and I think that is the reason why most professionals have left the country.

Hi All, Can someone tell me what the equivalent SA degree is to the CIMA Qualification. How does the B.Com degree compare to the different CIMA qualifications?

Hey Sigma - I am not aware of any such a movement in the Free State. I am in close contact with the varsity (UFS) and will be teaching some managerial level subjects next year. I guess that is the closest ive come across to a group in the FS. Its just sad that none of the interesting seminars are held here. But in time im sure it will grow. I followed the TIPP stream - had great clients such as SASOL and ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI. That sort of got me interested in the CIMA direction as i got to audit future cash flow projections and asset NPV. I would love to perform these tasks every day if I could - but it is hard getting into a company these days..... Regards

Probably the best CIMA has done here in Australia should be used as a strategy there in South Africa.

To stave off any form of prejudice against it's members CIMA has run joint programs with the local accounting qualifications. The Australian CA and CPA are entrenched and inevitable market leaders. And in order to beat them CIMA first joined forces and worked with the local qualifications.

When CPA and CA Australia realised what CIMA can contribute it was easier to see the CIMA qualifications being recognised. Currently CIMA runs joint mutual recognition with the CPA and also works closely with CA Australia.

Obviously there are CIMA people, like the current CIMA president Aubrey Joachim, who have been very instrumental in ensuring that the qualification is well recognised here. Aubrey always makes things happen, and I am sure you guys you will need to work very closely with CIMA South Africa to make these things happen. You will need to marshall all the CIMA head office support to effect change in attitudes there. Especially with Aubrey being the President I strongly believe it is an easy piece of work for him when it comes to putting together workable strategies.

I am an Australian CA, and of course CPA through MRA but whenever I read the CA Charter magazine I always rush to read the regular contribution in the magazine by Aubrey Joachim. To me this is not about CIMA, but this is because the contributions by Aubrey, and indeed CIMA, in the magazine is always invaluable. Other CA only members always attest to the brilliance of the contributions by Aubrey and indeed CIMA.

Therefore it is imperative that if we are to see CIMA make headway in South Africa it will be incumbent upon all the CIMA students and members to go out and proclaim the virtues of CIMA though working with other organisations like SAICA and the universities. CIMA on its own cannot do everything. But we as the ambassadors should go out and make a difference in our respective communities.

Let CIMA and its members be judged by its impeccable deeds!

@DTM

Could you please provide a link to that CIMA vs SAICA report? I have been searching for it for ages, didn't even know that one had been made

CIMA SA is not doing enough to promote the CIMA qualification/brand to employers and employment agencies in SA. Most of the senior management positions in finance in SA are filled with CA (SA)s. It is like a brotherhood - when they in turn have to appoint staff they appoint CAs again and so it goes on. Very few ads will call for CA (SA) or CIMA when the want senior financial staff. We are fighting a losing battle here. We pay a lot of money for membership but the SA office of CIMA is not doing much other than placing a few ads in the business press.

Its great to see all the positive feedback on this topic! Thank you to everybody!

I would also like to see that CIMA vs SAICA report please!

Great hearing from a CA(SA) about the value of CIMA! 

i agree with all of you guys CIMA SA is not doing enough to market the qualification, its students and the qualified. it is clear to see that they have resorted to being just the administrative function for the UK Office. we need more action on the marketing side, we need them to champion the recruitement drive for CIMA students and qualified through running their own placement or as away of facilitating growth and experties of cima qualified pple. guys lets form our own club that is actively involved in this so that we champion the cima qualification in the way we see it, please lets do this

I beg to differ with most comments. I think cima sa is doing a lot to advetise the qualification. I see that on DSTV, at Airports, Business Brief etc.  I think our own members need to write a lot, comment on national issues etc to ensure that the cima brand is well known. let us continue to attract saica members into cima. We may need one or two marketing persons to visit recruitment agencies, schools, universities and employers and address them on cima.  We should encourage more universities to teach cima as well as private colleges.

Let us get the cima vs saica report please 

 

I have discovered that its very rare to find CIMA qualified educators teaching CIMA students. Majority of the educators are from other qualifications which makes it difficult for students to pass. Is it because the CIMA qualification is so rewarding for qualified pple in industry as compared to one qualifying and becomes an educator? I think we should now start to encourage pple to become educators dedicated to CIMA after qualifying and try as much to reward them, lets start with those who can do this part time after their normal working hours.

I am looking for study mates who are doing CIMA living around Nelspruit, i am doing Financial Management, enterprise Operations and Performance Operations, just even to establish a study group, please if serious you can contact me [phone numbers deleted by moderator 27/01/10 due to privacy issues. Please use the web messaging service to get in touch with other users privately: http://community.cimaglobal.com/discussions/using-cimasphere/privacy-and-keeping-your-personal-information-safe robert@cas.ac.ls]. i feel these so called CIMA accredited training institutions are short changing us so lets do it on our own. Even looking for a qualified CIMA person willing to assist me part time for a fee.

I would also like to comment that CIMA is much better off than ACCA in South Africa.

ACCA: Excludes CA(SA) and ACMA's and FCMA's, and their qualification is on degree level.

CIMA: Doesn't exclude CA(SA)'s and other degrees and qualifications and is on a post graduate level.

I have seen a couple of adverts for FM positions breaking the oath and asking for CA(SA) or CIMA!!! But very few acknowledge ACCA.

This was with an agency that clearly segregates CA(SA) positions from other General Finance positions. I will not name the organisation. But the CA(SA) or CIMA add was in the CA(SA) section!!!

Therefore, we are winning guys, slowly but surely. 

I am appealing to all members and students of CIMA in Free State and in Lesotho to join forces and establish a CIMA Branch.  Could the Southern African division facilitate this. I know we have members in Maseru and Bloemfontein, and that could be an easier route.

I just read on web that the MBA holders would be given a fast track programme to assist them to qualify into Strategy papers. I think it is brilliant however not all MBAs are equivalent, some may be very poor, and it is imported that only MBAs accreditated with respectable and recognized bodies should be allowed on the fast track programme. I learn that they will be sitting one paper that will encompass the three Level 2 subjects (managemerial level) and upon successfully completing it, they will then move to Strategy Level.  I plead that instead of One subject, they should be Two subjects, the second purely being on Financial Reporting (Financial Management), alternatively, Financial Reporting should make at least 45% of that paper (I still do not support the alternative though). My reason is that CIMAs are Accountants, and should be proficient in Management Accounting as well as Financial Accounting. Already the CAs think we are no good in financial accounting, and that often works against us, and let us not do anything to promote that perception.

May be the best alternative is that they should be exempted fromall papers in level 1, and only one paper in Level 2 which is Enterprise Management, and they sit for Performance Management and Financial Reporting Management.

One had asked about the rating of CIMA in South Africa. Please check www.fasset.org.za     You will see that is given NQF Level 7, which is the same as SAICA.

 

I think the member in SA has said it all.  CIMA is indeed the champion for those who go into business for financial management positions.

Please let us only tell people about it, thus promote it ourselves. If you can take a young graduate a month about CIMA in a year you will have told 12, and with more than a thousand members in SA we will double membership, and indeed numbers count. The more members in high position the more our qualification will be known

 

Do you know any distance learning institution in SA that admits CIMA members into their Masters' programmes or LLB directly, even if such member does not have a degree.  I am an Accountancy tutor with CIMA  and CIS, would you know know of any SA university that would take me into lecturing?

Robert, contact me through the CIMA Gauteng branch and I'll give you a two contacts, I can't promise anything but you have very good qualifications and also lecturing experience.