The world’s largest accounting body, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), is pulling the plug on remote exams starting this March.
After a few years of allowing students to test from home, a practice that began as a necessity during the pandemic, the organization has decided that the risks simply outweigh the benefits.
The rapid rise of sophisticated AI tools that make it increasingly difficult to ensure everyone is playing by the rules.
Helen Brand, the CEO of the ACCA, admitted that the technology used to cheat is now evolving faster than the safeguards designed to stop it. It’s a “tipping point” for the industry. While the organization has worked hard to secure its online platform, they’ve concluded that high-stakes professional exams are becoming nearly impossible to police in a home environment.
This isn’t just about a few students looking for shortcuts; it’s about protecting the integrity of the entire profession. The accounting world has been rocked by several high-profile cheating scandals recently, with “Big Four” firms facing massive fines including a record $100 million penalty for EY after employees were caught cheating on ethics and professional tests.
While some other bodies, like the Institute of Chartered Accountants in the England and Wales (ICAEW),still allow certain online tests, the ACCA is moving back to the traditional in-person model for almost everyone.
By returning to physical exam centers, they hope to shut the door on AI-assisted malpractice and restore full confidence in the qualifications that underpin the global financial industry.
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