UG now accredited to offer ACCA certification

For decades, Guyanese seeking to earn the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification had to turn to international universities. Now, that accreditation is attainable right here at the University of Guyana.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Monday between Vice-Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin, ACCA President Melanie Proffitt, and President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana (ICAG) Ramesh Seebarran allowing the University’s School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI) to formally apply accreditation for its Bachelor of Accountancy Degree Programme from ACCA, one of the world’s leading professional accounting bodies.

The accreditation, valid from January 2026 through December 2030, marks the first time the University of Guyana has secured programme-level accreditation from ACCA. Previously, graduates received exemptions only on an individual basis. The programme will be offered from the new semester starting September 2026.

Professor Mohamed-Martin said this is a direct result of UG’s efforts to provide more for its students.

“We have young people in the country and we want them to operate in a professional space as quickly as possible but as robustly as possible,” Professor Mohamed-Martin said.

Students graduating from 2026 onwards who go on to pursue the ACCA qualification will be exempt from four papers, Business and Technology, Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, and Corporate and Business Law, meaning they will only need to complete nine remaining papers to earn the globally recognised certification, while also earning a double award.

Proffitt said framing the accreditation as a bridge between local talent and global opportunity.

“The University of Guyana plays a central role in shaping the conscience country’s future talent. ACCA’s role is to complement that work bringing global talent, global pathways and the global opportunities that help students connect to the wider world,” Proffitt said.

Education Minister Sonia Parag said the accreditation is meaningful for the country’s developing trajectory, which depends heavily on people’s ability to deliver much-needed skills. With Guyana’s economy expanding rapidly, the need for qualified accountants in Guyana is pressing.

The achievement builds on SEBI’s recent momentum. The school recently launched an Associate Degree and a Graduate Executive Diploma in Oil and Gas Accounting, Taxation and Audit programmes designed to serve Guyana’s rapidly growing economy and increasing demand for specialised financial expertise.