Overview

The South-South Curricula Improvement Exchange Program focused on accounting and auditing curricula improvement through exchange of experience with EU member countries. Updating accounting and auditing education, professional development and public awareness is a national priority for the Moldovan Government in their “Accounting and Auditing Development Plan in the Corporate Sector for 2009-2014” (CAP). The CAP is a complex activity that seeks to strengthen the corporate financial reporting framework and requires significant commitment from different stakeholders, including Government agencies, regulators, academia and accounting and auditing profession.

While there was some basic knowledge of modern curricula and advanced teaching methods in accounting and auditing in Moldova, the authorities wished to develop this. They approached the World Bank for assistance and the Bank’s Centre for Financial Reporting Reform (CFRR) set up a program using the facility of the South-South Experience Trust Fund (SEETF). This program sought to fill the knowledge gap of how curricula should be improved, developed and implemented in line with good international benchmarks and practices, and how modern methods should be applied for teaching financial reporting and auditing standards which are principles-based.

The program was completed in 2013 and resulted in the Accounting Faculty of the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM) producing a revised university curricula for implementation from the academic year beginning in 2014, by which time they also aimed to be accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Project features

A particular focus of the Program was to build links between ASEM, the country’s leading university in accountancy education, and the Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest (ASEB) from the EU member state of Romania - whose experience of adopting EU standards and practices, and becoming accredited by ACCA, was especially valuable and relevant.

Program activities included exchanges of information and curriculum materials; a study visit - with the opportunity to experience curricula content and teaching tools in action; and an international conference to share knowledge among larger groups of Moldovan stakeholders, notably from the university sector and the profession in the country.