SAICA Requirements

RULES FOR THE ACADEMIC TRAINEESHIP PROGRAMME

(updated June 2005)

1 THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ACADEMIC TRAINEESHIP PROGRAMME (ATP)

• 1.1 To create an opportunity for intellectually gifted graduates to spend one year of their training contract in an academic working environment with a view to attracting them to an academic career in the longer term.
• 1.2 To relieve staffing shortages in accountancy units by appointing a limited number of trainee accountants as junior lecturers.

2 ELIGIBILITY

2.1 Accountancy Units

Eligibility is restricted to accountancy units

• that offer programmes that are accredited by the Education Committee (EDCO); and
• that are accredited by the Training Requirements Committee to participate in the ATP (See Annexure 1 to this document).

2.2 Candidates

Candidates must -

• be in possession of a CTA or equivalent;
• have entered into a training contract, or be in possession of a written undertaking by an accredited training office that the candidate will enter into a training contract at the commencement of the academic traineeship;
• be selected on the basis of their academic excellence;
• be South African citizens or residents; and
• be recommended by the Head of an eligible accountancy unit.

EDCO may determine minimum academic and other requirements to be met by candidates who wish to participate in the ATP.

3 APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

3.1 After identifying a prospective candidate the Head of the accountancy unit must, before offering the candidate an academic traineeship

• make the rules of the ATP available to the prospective candidate and discuss with the candidate his/her selection for and participation in the programme;
• ensure that the candidate meets such academic and other requirements as determined by EDCO;
• ensure that the candidate has entered into a training contract or is in possession of a written undertaking by an accredited training office that the candidate will enter into a training contract at the commencement of the academic traineeship; and
• liaise with the training officer of such training office to obtain the offices agreement to academic traineeship for the candidate.

3.2 Application for academic traineeship, suitably motivated, must be made on the prescribed form before commencement of academic traineeship AND BY NO LATER THAN 30 SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR.

3.3 The application, together with the prescribed relevant supporting documents, must be submitted to SAICA by the Head of the accountancy unit.

3.4 The application must be signed by all three parties and all the required supporting documentation attached before the application will be considered by SAICA.

3.5 The Head of the accountancy unit, the candidate academic trainee and the training officer must each give an undertaking to abide by the rules of the ATP.

3.6 Applications for academic traineeship will be considered for approval by the Chairman of EDCO.

3.7 SAICA will notify the Head of the accountancy unit and the training officer whether or not the candidate has been accepted into the ATP.

3.8 After approval has been granted the training officer will apply in the normal manner to register the training contract of the academic trainee accountant, if such training contract has not already been entered into.

3.9 The commencement date of the training contract will be determined by the Head of the accountancy unit and will be as close as possible to the first day of the academic year in which academic traineeship is to be served.

4 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

4.1 An academic trainee accountant will, save for extensions following approved suspensions, serve a training contract of three years.

4.2 The first of the three years of the training contract will be completed in the accountancy unit and the second and third years will be served at the training office.

4.3 The accountancy unit may determine such other criteria for participation in the ATP as it deems fit.

4.4 During the first year of the training contract the academic trainee accountant will be an employee of the education institution.

4.5 During the first year of the training contract the academic trainee accountant will maintain contact with the training officer who, whenever practicable, and in consultation with the Head of the accountancy unit, will arrange for the trainees participation in training courses arranged by the training officer for first year graduate trainee accountants.

4.6 For an academic trainee accountant the year completed in the accountancy unit will be deemed to be equivalent to one third of the required minimum hours of work attendance and core experience as required in terms of the training regulations.

4.7 The Head of the accountancy unit will, every six months, provide SAICA and the training officer with a supervisors report on the progress of the academic trainee accountant in the form as prescribed by SAICA.

4.8 During the first year of an academic trainees contract, the trainee will be subject to SAICAs training regulations in so far as they apply. Thereafter the regulations will apply fully.

5 DISQUALIFICATION

5.1 All arrangements in terms of the ATP will lapse and all recognition by SAICA for time spent in an accountancy unit will be forfeited if the candidate fails to pass Part I of SAICAs qualifying examination (QE) in the first year of the training contract.

5.2 Notwithstanding the provisions of 5.1, in the case of an academic trainee who does not write Part I of the QE for a valid reason (e.g. illness or bereavement) EDCO in its absolute discretion may allow such a trainee to continue with the year of academic traineeship at an accountancy unit and this time will be recognised on condition that the candidate passes Part I of the QE in the following year.

ANNEXURE 1

ACCREDITATION CRITERIA APPLICABLE TO ACCOUNTANCY UNITS THAT WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACADEMIC TRAINEESHIP PROGRAMME

1 The ATP must be offered by an accountancy unit that offers a CTA or equivalent programme that is accredited by SAICA.

2 In order to be accredited by SAICA to participate in the ATP, an accountancy unit must provide evidence to the satisfaction of SAICA that it meets the following conditions:

2.1 The accountancy unit must provide SAICA with a programme that sets out the activities of the academic trainee for the duration of the academic year;

2.2 A suitably qualified, senior staff member must be tasked with assisting and supporting the academic trainee on a continuous basis;

2.3 During the ATP, the trainee must be exposed to the following activities:

• Lecturing,
• Tutorials,
• Preparation of teaching material,
• Setting and marking of assessments; and
• Research.

2.4  The academic trainee must be subject to six-monthly performance evaluation procedures by the Head of the accountancy unit.

3 The ATP will be reviewed as part of the ongoing accreditation and monitoring of universities and the accreditation criteria relating to the ATP as defined in the Accreditation Criteria Document will be evaluated.

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