ACCA Student Podcasts

This topic is covered in the Strategic Business Leader syllabus. The purpose of this podcast is to introduce this topic and give some pointers as to what the important themes are in terms of teaching and learning.

This two-part podcast aims to give clarity on the level of response that is required in a APM answer. It will address a specific past exam question that caused considerable difficulty in the March 2021 session. This episode follows on from the first part, which gave examples of weak answers, and this one will discuss two possible pass standard solutions to this question.

This two-part podcast aims to give clarity on the level of response that is required in a APM answer. It will address a specific past exam question that caused considerable difficulty in the March 2021 session. This part will present and discuss two possible poor solutions to this question.

This podcast focuses on assertions as identified by ISA 315 (Revised 2019) and also provides useful guidance to candidates on how to tackle questions dealing with these.

The board of directors forms one of the pillars of a robust corporate governance framework. Recent academic literature suggests that one of the ways to enhance corporate governance, arguably, is to diversify the board and this is included in the Strategic Business Leader syllabus. This podcast explores the concept of board diversity and how it may benefit the organisation, as well as the possible costs of board diversity and the current regulatory initiatives that apply to it. 

In 2013, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) released the first version of its framework for integrated reporting. The framework established principles and concepts that govern the overall content of an integrated report. This podcast explores the content, uses and impact of the integrated report framework.

This two-part podcast aims to give clarity on the level of response that is required in an APM answer. It will address a specific past exam question that caused considerable difficulty in the March 2021 session. The first part of this podcast gave examples of weak answers, and this one will discuss two possible pass standard solutions to this question. Before listening, it is essential to have read the scenario and requirement for Question 1, part (b) (i) of the March 2021 APM exam and it will be helpful to keep these to hand. 

This two-part podcast aims to give clarity on the level of response that is required in an APM answer. It will address a specific past exam question that caused considerable difficulty in the March 2021 session. This part will present and discuss two possible poor solutions to this question. Before listening, it is essential to have read the scenario and requirement for Question 1 part (b)(i) of the March 2021 APM exam and it will be helpful to keep these to hand. 

Public sector governance is covered in the Strategic Business Leader syllabus. The purpose of this podcast is to introduce this topic and give some pointers as to what the important themes are in terms of teaching and learning. It explores agency in the public sector, forms of organisation, political influence and stakeholders.

In 2013, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) released the first version of its framework for integrated reporting. The framework established principles and concepts that govern the overall content of an integrated report. This podcast examines the framework in detail, including the key components of an integrated report and its focus on relationships with stakeholders.

The board of directors forms one of the pillars of a robust corporate governance framework. Recent academic literature suggests that one of the ways to enhance corporate governance is to diversify the board and this is included in the Strategic Business Leader syllabus. This podcast attempts to elaborate on this topic by first introducing the concept of board diversity and how it may benefit the organisation, followed by a discussion of the possible costs of board diversity and a comment on the current regulatory initiatives of board diversity.

Learning outcome F4c of the Financial Management (FM) syllabus is as follows: Describe the significance of investor speculation and the explanations of investor decisions offered by behavioural finance. The learning outcome is at intellectual level 1, meaning that knowledge and comprehension of this topic is required. This podcast briefly looks at what behavioural finance is and some important terms related to behavioural finance which students should know.

IAS® 38 Intangible Assets is one of the key standards in the Financial Reporting (FR) exam, covering how companies should account for intangible assets. This standard can be examined in all sections of the exam. A well-prepared candidate needs to be able to understand and explain the key principles of the standard, in addition to preparing calculations. 

The audit of group financial statements is an area frequently examined in the Advanced Audit and Assurance examination. It can be tested at any stage of the audit cycle and therefore in any section of the examination. It is important that candidates are able to identify risks arising from aspects of group audits and the responsibility of auditors in this regard. This podcast focuses on the key areas of group audit, highlighting sections of ISA 600, Special Considerations – Audits of Group Financial Statements (Including the Work of Component Auditors). Candidates should be familiar with the standard prior to sitting the Advanced Audit and Assurance exam.

This podcast focuses on the nature and importance of market and customer segmentation, an aspect of strategic analysis which is covered within Section C of the Strategic Business Leader syllabus.

‘Relevant costs’ can be defined as any cost relevant to a decision. A matter is relevant if there is a change in cash flow that is caused by the decision. This podcast looks at the different kinds of costs that can be considered as either relevant or irrelevant, and then considers some specific examples that might be found in an exam question.

‘Relevant costs’ can be defined as any cost relevant to a decision. A matter is relevant if there is a change in cash flow that is caused by the decision. This podcast looks at the different kinds of costs that can be considered as either relevant or irrelevant, and then considers some specific examples that might be found in an exam question.

This podcast is relevant to Foundations in Audit (FAU) and Audit and Assurance (AA). It focuses on assertions as identified by ISA 315 (Revised) and also provides useful guidance to candidates on how to tackle questions dealing with these.

International Financial Reporting Standard 9 Financial Instruments is a complex standard, especially for users and preparers of financial statements. IFRS 9 is relevant to the Financial Reporting (FR) syllabus, and so this podcast takes a high-level review of its application to the following: Financial assets, financial liabilities and convertibles.

Syllabus area E4 of the SBL study guide requires students to discuss, assess and evaluate the security of IT systems. This podcast explains why these skills are crucial for those seeking to become effective strategic business leaders and demonstrates how they can be applied in practice.

In this episode we talk to Chris Argent, founder and strategic advisor at Generation CFO, an online network seeking to help finance professionals adapt, grow and remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Taken from an article by Sean Purcell, this podcast looks at the power of visualisation to motivate you towards success, and how to create a structure of living that supports your vision. Sean Purcell BA ACMA CGMA is an ACCA expert tutor who regularly contributes to ACCA programmes around the world. He was recently voted 2020 lecturer of the year by PQ magazine.

Taken from an article by Sean Purcell, this podcast explores the power of motivation and creating specific behaviours and actions to accomplish your goals. Sean Purcell BA ACMA CGMA is an ACCA expert tutor who regularly contributes to ACCA programmes around the world. He was recently voted 2020 lecturer of the year by PQ magazine.

Taken from an article by Sean Purcell, this podcast looks at different learning styles, how to stay focused and take care of your mental health. Sean Purcell BA ACMA CGMA is an ACCA expert tutor who regularly contributes to ACCA programmes around the world. He was recently voted 2020 lecturer of the year by PQ magazine.

Expert tutors Tom Clendon and Affaf Noor discuss how to make the most of online learning

ACCA prizewinners Autumn Murphy, Dominic Gibson and Lauren Pamplin share their top tips for passing exams, in particular the Advanced Taxation, Advanced Performance Management and Advanced Audit and Assurance exams. They also discuss their experiences of working in lockdown, how they approach their careers, and how they manage to stay motivated.

In this podcast we hear from the head of finance St Bartholomew's Hospital, Nick Geatches, about his career with KPMG, how he made the shift to the public sector, what it's been like working for the NHS during the Coronavirus pandemic and how the future looks for health finances.

In the second of two podcasts, Head of Learning at Kaplan Financial Stuart Pedley-Smith talks specifically about some of the obstacles to studying that might come up during periods of self-isolation, and what strategies to apply in order to overcome them - many of which will be equally useful once the lockdown ends.

In the first of two podcasts, Head of Learning at Kaplan Financial Stuart Pedley-Smith explains the science of learning, and how effective learning methods can be applied by anyone to achieve positive results. In particular this episode explores in depth six proven strategies for effective learning: spacing, interleaving, retrieval practice, elaboration, concrete examples and dual coding.

In this episode we talk to Andy Hall, an ACCA prizewinner and business advisor at BDO, and Andy Huddleston, a partner within the BDO Drive team. They share their various experiences of studying, working and recruiting at BDO, how the finance landscape is changing, and how accountants can be future ready. This episode is sponsored by tuition provider Kaplan.

Syllabus area E4 of the SBL study guide requires students to discuss, assess and evaluate the security of IT systems. This podcast explains why these skills are crucial for those seeking to become effective strategic business leaders and demonstrates how they can be applied in practice.

This podcast explores the three "V"s of big data: Velocity, Variety and Volume. It also looks at the processing and analysing of big data, as well as the dangers and risks.

Finance Director Analysis & Control at Hays Specialist Recruitment in London Richard Snowden shares his experiences of managing a team responsible for internal and external reporting, and discusses what skills accountants need in the jobs market right now, the importance of creativity and communication, and how to stay relevant in an ever-changing profession.

Climate change is one of the hottest topics in business right now; at the recent World Economic Forum it was declared that the top five global risks were all linked to the environment. As consumers become more eco-conscious, "sustainability" has become a buzzword, and many companies say they are committed to reducing their "carbon footprint." But is enough being done by the finance world to stem the crisis, and what can accountants specifically do to contribute? Barbara Davidson is the former head of Investor Engagement at the International Financial Reporting Standards Board and has over 20 years of experience in the accounting and finance sector, as well as an MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation. In this podcast she shares some of her wealth of knowledge and experience on this subject, including a discussion of the Sustainable Development Goals, and what individuals as well as organisations can do to bring about positive change.

In this episode we talk to the UK director of Hays Accountancy and Finance, Karen Young, about the advantages of working with a recruitment agency, the key things to focus on when looking for a job, how to tailor your CV and prepare for interviews, and what makes candidates stand out from the crowd.

Islamic finance rests on the application of Islamic law, or Shariah, whose primary sources are the Qur'an and the sayings and practice of the Prophet Muhammad. Shariah, and very much in the context of Islamic finance, emphasises justice and partnership. The ACCA Financial Management syllabus contains a section on Islamic finance (Section E3). This podcast explores the main tenets of Islamic finance and how it applies in a contemporary business world.

Your ability to constantly evolve your technology skills – your digital quotient – is a pivotal competency that will keep your career, indeed your profession, in the game. This podcast explores the notion of DQ and how it affects the path of the contemporary accountant.

Understanding the business model of an entity is helpful in analysing and communicating the essence of a business and for predicting the implications of a change in circumstance on a business. Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) candidates should use this technique to improve their answers to SBR questions and this podcast should help them to do this.

The Strategic Business Leader exam mirrors the workplace, providing opportunities to demonstrate a blend of technical, practical and professional skills. In this episode we speak to SBL prizewinner Aminat Kamaru, senior associate risk assurance professional at PwC Nigeria, about how she tackled studying for this exam, what inspired her and what were the key factors in enabling her success.

The perception of stress and the ability to manage it vary from person to person, but there are techniques for coping with whatever comes your way. In this podcast we explore some of the more effective - and ineffective - ways of tackling stress.

In this episode our special guest is Sophie Taylor, an internal auditor at a financial services company. As a prizewinner from the March 2019 Strategic Business Leader exam, Sophie shares which resources she found most useful and offers tips about how to study for and pass the SBL exam.

In this episode our special guest is Tom Wood, a recruitment manager at Morgan McKinley. Tom shares his expertise and experience in this field, offering advice on how to boost your CV and LinkedIn profile, how to prepare for interview and what employers are looking for.

There are many issues that accountants may encounter in practice for which no accounting standard currently exists; one example is cryptocurrencies. For example, as no accounting standard currently exists to explain how cryptocurrency should be accounted for, accountants have no alternative but to refer to existing accounting standards. This podcast demonstrates to Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) candidates how this can be done using cryptocurrencies as an example.

The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 goals tackling major world issues agreed by 193 UN member states to be achieved by 2030. In this podcast we look at what the goals are and how they can provide insights for companies into how to create economic, social and environmental value for their investors and other stakeholders.

As finance professionals, safeguarding personal, client and company data and information is vital. In this short podcast we explore some of the most important ways to keep data safe.

In this episode we talk to Rob Douglas, director of planning for Europe at Adaptive Insights, about the way advances in technology, big data and artificial intelligence are likely to affect finance jobs in the future.

Matt Craven, MD of The CV and Interview Advisors, shares his wealth of knowledge and experience on CV writing, personal branding, interview technique and career development for jobseekers in the finance and accountancy sector.

How do the students with the top marks achieve their impressive results? What's the secret? In this episode we talk to 3 ACCA prizewinners around the world, Aminat Kamaru from Nigeria, Shahzeb Khan from Pakistan and Robyn Hever from the UK, about their goals, challenges and top tips for studying and passing exams.

What is mindfulness and why is it such a big deal these days, both inside and outside of the workplace? In the first episode of our new interview series, we talk to mindfulness expert, teacher and author Tessa Watt about how mindfulness can be of benefit to those studying and practising accountancy.

This podcast gives an overview of big data and its characteristics. It then explores data analytics and looks at some examples of how using big data and data analytics can improve business performance.

The finance minister Heng Swee Keat delivered a futuristic Singapore Budget Statement for the Financial Year 2018 on 19 February 2018. A slew of tax changes were announced to provide near-term support to firms and workers, foster pervasive innovation, build deep capabilities and forge strong partnerships both locally and abroad. This podcast explores the significant tax changes announced for businesses in Budget 2018.