SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 12 March 2025 - The Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) has launched the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification (SCAQ) Career Mobility Programme (CMP), an initiative designed to support promising accountancy undergraduates towards attaining the Chartered Accountant of Singapore designation through education pathways and facilitated work experience, as well as to build a stronger pipeline of accountancy talent to support business growth in the region. The programme will begin with a pilot run in Vietnam, and expand to more countries progressively by Q2 2025.

Under the programme, ISCA will partner with Accredited Training Organisations (ATOs)¹ and their international network to provide high-quality training and development initiatives, and assist them with talent recruitment and hiring. This will be done through the creation of more cross-border work opportunities – such as exchanges, secondments, and professional stints – which will enable eligible candidates to gain valuable overseas work experience and cross-cultural learning. This is expected to especially benefit accounting firms and Singapore businesses; the CMP will incentivise more students to pursue accountancy studies as well as professional qualifications like the SCAQ, which will in turn help to grow the pool of available professional accountancy talent to support the expansion and growth of Singapore businesses globally.

ISCA President Mr Teo Ser Luck said, "The launch of the CMP is a significant step towards enhancing ISCA's impact on the accountancy profession both in Singapore and beyond. Our intention for this programme is to primarily benefit both Singapore businesses who are looking to expand overseas, as well as to support our SCAQ candidates with avenues for overseas exposure and experience. Through this, we are not only helping to nurture well-rounded accounting professionals but also addressing the growing demand for skilled accountants in Singapore and the region."

The first ATOs to partner with ISCA's CMP are KPMG Vietnam and KPMG in Singapore. Through the programme, eligible SCAQ candidates hired by KPMG in Singapore and KPMG Vietnam will be offered overseas professional stints in each other's offices. Both KPMG offices in Vietnam and Singapore will benefit from an increased pool of accountancy talent, while also fostering robust cross-border talent mobility, providing their staff with beneficial skills and expertise stemming from international exposure. This will also help to address manpower shortages to meet market demand, while elevating the attractiveness of the profession in the region.

The programme was launched on 5 March 2025, during a Memorandum-of-Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony held at KPMG's office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. During the ceremony, Mr Chang Hung Chun, Managing Partner, Head of Audit from KPMG Vietnam & Cambodia, presented the MOU on behalf of Mr Warrick Cleine MBE, Chairman and CEO of KPMG Vietnam & Cambodia, who signed the MOU in advance. The MOU was subsequently signed by Mr Teo Ser Luck, President, ISCA and Mr Alex Koh, Head of Audit from KPMG in Singapore, signifying the collaboration between ISCA, KPMG Vietnam and KPMG Singapore.

Mr Chang Hung Chun, Managing Partner, Head of Audit from KPMG Vietnam & Cambodia said, "This MOU marks a significant milestone in the strong partnership between ISCA and KPMG, enabling cross-border mobility. KPMG Vietnam is proud to be part of this pilot, paving the way for future opportunities for young professionals across the region."

Ms Shelley Chan, Partner, Audit, who oversees people matters in KPMG in Singapore said, "KPMG has always championed the growth of the accountancy profession, fostering talent that goes beyond technical excellence to become impactful leaders in a dynamic global environment. This partnership with ISCA exemplifies our commitment to global mobility and the development of globally and regionally capable professionals."

The inaugural launch of the CMP in Vietnam also marks a significant step in ISCA's efforts in expanding its presence in the region beyond Singapore. As of March 2025, ISCA has inked several agreements with leading universities in Vietnam, to provide pathways for the SCAQ programme to nurture a strong accountancy talent pipeline for the region. Across over 129 universities in Vietnam, there are collectively over 92,000 students enrolled in accountancy, which provides a rich pool of students ready for further development towards professional accountancy. Through the CMP and other initiatives, ISCA also aims to bridge gaps between graduates and employers' expectations², by providing avenues for further professional development such as education and practical training to better align graduates' competencies with market demands.

In addition, ISCA has launched its Professional Services Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, which is the second of such centres ISCA has set up. The centres mark a joint partnership between ISCA, the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME), Institute of Valuers and Appraisers, Singapore (IVAS), Law Society of Singapore, Singapore Manufacturing Foundation (SMF), and the Tax Academy of Singapore, and aim to serve as a conduit to promote the expansion and availability of professional services such as accounting, sustainability, legal, business valuation, taxation and other corporate services, to support business growth in their countries.