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The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has announced the launch of its Next Generation ACA qualification.
The new ACA brings three core components; 14 business, finance and accountancy modules; professional work experience; and a new Specialised Learning programme which can quickly adapt to cover emerging topics and skills needs.
As of July 2025, new ICAEW students are automatically registered onto the updated ACA, while existing students can choose their pathway. The first students have already taken certificate-level exams as part of the redeveloped ACA.
More than 100,000 students, employers and stakeholders were consulted on the changes to future-proof the ACA, which are the biggest updates to the qualification in 30 years.
Alan Vallance, ICAEW chief executive, said: “In an era when businesses and society face complex challenges, the need for agile, ethical leadership has never been greater. We’ve worked with employers, students and educators to design a qualification that will equip future Chartered Accountants with the skills to lead now and in the future, across a vast range of careers.
“That’s why we’ve incorporated integrated sustainability, technology and ethics content into the Next Generation ACA, alongside a Specialised Learning platform that will provide students with real-time insight into emerging trends and issues.”
Lottie Roberts, RSM associate director, early careers talent development, added: “The Next Generation ACA is not just an accountancy qualification. The depth of learning equips students to work within any business or organisation due to the depth and breadth of the syllabus.
“The critical thinking, ethical foundations, sustainability understanding and technical knowledge allows any ACA student to thrive, giving them the tools they need for a long and varied career.”
