Question 1
I participate in activities delivered by other professional bodies. These seminars do not contain a competency assessment. Will these seminars be suitable for SAICA's purposes?
Answer
Yes. The input-based measurement approach, as prescribed in the SAICA policy does not require an assessment to be completed.
Question 2
Many institutions (employers) have their own in-house training department with a variety of courses being offered. Will this be considered as relevant for the CPD requirement?
Answer
Yes. SAICA does not prescribe learning activities or specific courses. SAICA also does not accredit providers for the delivery of training activities. Members are to apply their professional judgement in the selection and attendance of learning activities
for purposes of CPD.
Question 3
How would these requirements affect women on maternity leave and new mothers (who have decided to take one or two years' break in order to raise their young children)?
Answer
Such members may apply for part or full exemption based on the provisions in the CPD policy.
Question 4
How will this impact on members who fail to comply with the CPD requirements?
Answer
The IFAC standard on CPD is very specific in terms of the implementation and enforcement of the requirements “as an integral component of a professional accountant's continued membership”. Disciplinary processes will be instituted if members do not
comply and the ultimate sanction will be discontinuance of membership.
Question 5
Many academics and other professional accountants serve on SAICA's and the PAAB's technical committees. Will this activity be classified as “verifiable learning”?
Answer
Yes!
Question 6
Will 100% self-study be acceptable?
Answer
No. The requirements distinguish between verifiable and non-verifiable learning. Self-learning would in most instances not be verifiable learning, so in addition to self-learning (that will be recognised for the non-verifiable portion), members and
associates will have to complete verifiable learning component.
Question 7
I currently work in the technical department and my job involves new projects such as Sarbanes-Oxley readiness programmes etc. Workshops are held, but since a large portion of the material on these projects is developed through on-the-job training,
for example getting opinion from various member firms as well as discussions with other accounting firms I would like this informal development to count towards CPD.
Answer
These will be valid CPD activities, however, not necessarily verifiable. Technical meetings to discuss issues regarding these developments could well constitute verifiable learning.
Question 8
How will participation as a speaker at conferences or other discussion forums be taken into account for CPD purposes?
Answer
The research and preparation time would be considered non-verifiable learning, but is recognised for CPD purposes. The actual presentation time is verifiable for CPD purposes. However, the repeat of the same presentation should not be repeatedly included
for CPD purposes.
Question 9
How will absentee members (members living in other countries) be able to do the required learning activities in order to meet SAICA's CPD requirements? How would such learning activities be verified to meet the “verifiable” requirement? How does SAICA
intend monitoring the activities of absentee members?
Answer
SAICA does not prescribe specific learning programmes or the content of CPD programmes. Members may choose learning activities relevant to their professional role. For members in other countries this may well include courses offered by other accountancy
professional bodies, overseas employers etc. The “verifiable learning” requirement refers to learning that ‘can be verified' but does not mean that SAICA wants to verify the learning. All members (including absentee members) will be required to
record their CPD activities on the on-line recording system and indicate whether the learning is verifiable or not (based on the nature of the activities). The CPD activities of overseas members will therefore be monitored in exactly the same
manner as for other members of SAICA.
Question 10
How will SAICA verify the CPD activities of members? Are members supposed to keep certificates of verifiable learning or should a manager sign off on the participation in activities? How will SAICA verify that the activities were relevant and appropriate?
Answer
The requirement to participate in “verifiable learning” does not imply that SAICA wants to verify the learning activities. It refers to the nature of learning activities i.e. activities that can be verified. In terms of SAICA's philosophy regarding
CPD we treat our members as professionals who act with integrity. As professionals members should select CPD activities that is relevant to their professional role and participate in such activities in order to meet the SAICA requirements.
These activities will then be recorded on the on-line SAICA recording system.
Question 11
Would members be granted credit for having studied courses before the CPD requirement comes into force?
Answer
Credit for previous learning is given on a Curriculum Vitae (CV). It is indeed proposed that the on-line recording system provide members with a function to maintain a personal CV. CPD by its very nature however refers to continuing learning and
learning in the past does not reduce the need to remain up to date and to commit to lifelong learning going forward – on a year by year basis.
Question 12
What constitutes valid CPD activities?
Answer
Members should apply their professional judgement in choosing the most appropriate activity to address an identified need in knowledge or experience. Examples of acceptable learning activities include, but are not limited to:
Participation in courses, conferences and seminars
Self-learning modules or organised on-the-job training for new software, systems, procedures, techniques or skills
for application in the professional role
Published professional or academic writing, including writing technical articles, papers, books
Participation
and work on technical committees
Teaching a course or CPD session in an area related to professional responsibilities
Participation as
a speaker in conferences, briefing sessions, or discussion groups,
Writing technical articles, papers, books
Research, including reading
professional literature or journals, for application in a professional role
Leadership or management
Computer skills
Industry specific legislation, or
Soft skills
Question 13
Will practice review be linked to CPD monitoring?
Answer
Practice review is a function of the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board (PAAB). SAICA has to have its own monitoring processes in place for both members in public practice and members in business. The PAAB's policy on CPD has not been finalised
yet.