SEVEN TAR UC final-year students from the Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) programme did the institution proud when they achieved top marks in the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Strategic Case Study (SCS) paper in November 2019. What was even more remarkable about their achievement was that they were able to pass the SCS ahead of their graduation.
The seven achievers are Yeoh Hao Jing, Lee Soo Yee, Lau Sang San, Ping Meng Wai, Kam Keen Onn, Wong Siew Nam and Chow Hui Yee.
These students were enrolled in CIMA’s A-Star Programme, which serves as a pathway for them to become Chartered Global Management Accountants (CGMA). After passing the SCS paper and gaining three years of relevant work experience, they can apply for CIMA membership and become CGMA designation holders.
The students credited TAR UC for providing them with the facilities and environment to thrive and succeed.
Kam said: “The lecturers and tutors at TAR UC really built up my foundation in accountancy, and this motivated me in taking the CIMA paper. The library at TAR UC provided many helpful materials, and this had helped me a lot in my preparations for the exam.”
“The Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) programme covers most of the syllabus for CIMA. For example, before I joined the A-Star programme, I have already learnt two out of three of the strategic level subjects, namely, risk management and financial strategy. The courses provided by TAR UC prepared me well for the SCS paper and eased the process because I was basically just revising what I had already learnt,” Lee said.
“TAR UC’s computer labs are equipped with the necessary software and bandwidth to support our classes and lessons, and I am truly thankful to TAR UC for providing us with such a conducive environment and awesome facilities for us to succeed,” according to Yeoh.
The students also explained the challenges they faced and how they overcame them.
Chow explained: “For me, the biggest challenge would be my initial lack of knowledge on SCS topics, and I overcame this by going through past year papers extensively in order to strengthen my understanding. Going through past year papers also helped me to familiarise myself with the SCS paper format.”
The students also had a few words of advice for those hoping to emulate their achievement.
Kam said: “Students who are enrolled in the A-Star Programme and intend to sit for the SCS paper are advised to make preparations as early as possible. They should understand all the theories first, then refer to additional materials such as past year papers and business journals in order to come up with better answers.
“They should also improve their critical thinking skills as they will need to figure out their answers from different perspectives.”
Lee added: “Do not be afraid to try! Yes, the process of preparation might be tough but it is worth all the hard work when you pass the exam. Even if you fail, you can always retake the paper, but the main thing to remember is never give up in trying to achieve your goals.”
