| The ACCA website has recently won two major awards. It has been named 'best professional body's site' for the second year running in PQ Magazine's annual web awards. Judges said: 'The ACCA site won top spot... for its appreciation of how
time-starved students are.' And PASS magazine named the site 'best accountancy body website' - as voted for by its student readers.
It's clear that ACCA students regularly reap the benefits the site has to offer - a fact supported by Hitwise magazine, which frequently places www.accaglobal.com as the number one accountancy body site in terms of hits. ACCA's own statistics for 2004 reveal that the student homepage was viewed 2.7 million times during the year, with sections on examination resources receiving over 800,000 visits - only beaten by the exam results service, which scored a record 920,000 views.
A recent student accountant survey also showed that 90% of readers visit the website at least once a month, with over 50% visiting every week.
The ACCA website has to satisfy a very diverse range of needs. It has to provide both general and specific information for all those involved with ACCA - including students, affiliates, members, employers, and tuition providers. It has to welcome anyone completely new to ACCA and the profession, while also providing a quick and efficient service for regular visitors. The site also has to respond to news as it breaks, and is required to maintain extensive archives and databases, all searchable and interconnected. Quite a challenge, but one the site - over 12,000 pages of it - meets very successfully.
Clearly www.accaglobal.com has a lot to offer, so how can student accountant readers make the most of this resource?
Student homepage
Accessed from the ACCA homepage, the students' channel brings together all the resources most relevant to students. Information is organised and presented in two ways:
- general and administrative information for all students
- detailed information relevant to specific qualifications and examinations.
In terms of general information, students can access:
- student publications - this includes links to ACCA-approved publishers of textbooks, and the student accountant archive. This comprises technical articles related to examinations, and general features containing practical career, study, and soft skills advice. Users can search the archive either by issue or by relevance to a specific exam paper.
- training resources - a section of links to practical resources designed to help students with their training, including more information about Student Training Records (STRs) and Technician Training Records (TTRs). CAT Indicator and ACCA Indicator are particularly useful tools - these brief online diagnostic tests are designed to gauge progress towards achieving practical experience - helping students determine exactly how close they are to either CAT status or full ACCA membership. ACCA Experience is also found here - this free job-matching service is designed to help students achieve their practical work experience by putting them in touch with employers who have training vacancies to fill. There is also a database of training and part-qualified vacancies for ACCA students and affiliates.
- tuition resources - this brings together information on how and where to study, both geographically and by qualification, together with more information on ACCA's University and College Registration Scheme (UCRS). In particular, this section includes the tuition providers database. This contains a searchable up-to-date list of UCRS tuition providers.
- examination results - this link is particularly well-used and provides access to students most recent examination results. This section also includes a link for students to register for e-mail delivery of future exam results, a service which has proved very successful.
- examination resources - this provides information on specific examinations, including key dates and timetables. The examination centres database is found here, helping students find their nearest centre for the exam they wish to take. Providing practical help, the
computer-based examinations demo gives students the chance to practise the more specific skills required in a computer-based test, encouraging greater familiarity with the concept and its demands, and thereby increasing speed and confidence.
Complementing these general resources, the student homepage also provides links to further information designed to help preparation for specific papers or qualifications. This includes:
- full details of all ACCA qualifications - pulling together resources such as Syllabuses, Study Guides and exam timetables
- detailed lists of resources for all ACCA exam papers, including Past Papers, exam notes, and relevant technical articles
- essential information - a drop down summary of links to some of the most relevant areas from across the whole website, such as useful downloads, information on the ACCA/Oxford Brookes University degree partnership, an exemption enquiry database, and much more.
Country and region sites
Some students make the student homepage their only port of call, and rarely venture in to other areas of the site. However, it's also important to look at relevant country or region sites. These can be accessed from the ACCA homepage. Many of the countries and regions in which ACCA has an office has its own website - each one with useful information for students.
Country and region sites focus on local news and initiatives, and also provide tailored lists of, for example, events, tuition providers, and employers. Most sites also offer local resources, which include vacancies, lists of recruitment agencies, and comment on legislative or regulatory changes. Local newsletter archives are also held on these sites, as is information on local student societies.
The student sections of country and region sites include information of specific importance to the local student community. On the UK site for example, the student section covers issues such as work permits and student visas. In Malaysia, the section includes information on student ambassadors, and in Zimbabwe, it looks at fee administration and exemption policies.
Comment
Students should regularly visit the 'comment' section, currently accessed from the ACCA homepage. This is a gateway to detailed information on a wide range of issues in which ACCA is actively involved, or on which it has a specific policy or stated opinion. The section provides access to technical and professional materials, and research and consultation documents on topics such as sustainability, corporate governance, or IFRS - all of which have microsites of their own containing more dedicated, focused resources.
ACCA services
ACCA Services is a drop-down menu on most screens. Of particular interest is ACCA Careers, an important resource, designed to help individuals find or change jobs. Find a job is within this section, a regularly-updated list of job opportunities for students and affiliates posted by employers from around the world. A restricted entry site, students and affiliates can access this service by using their registration number and passcode. And before you leave ACCA Services don't forget to drop into the ACCA Shop, where you can buy an exclusive range of ACCA-branded items for you and your ACCA colleagues!
myACCA
myACCA comprises a number of practical, interactive services, many of which are of particular value to students. A link to the myACCA login can be found at the bottom of every web page, and students simply enter their registration number and passcode to gain access. Once logged in, students can register for a free ACCA e-mail account, and access ACCA Communities - one of the most popular services provided.
ACCA Communities is particularly popular in countries or regions where distance learning is common, or where there are few on-the-ground training providers. In Nigeria, for example, 10% of ACCA students are members of a community. ACCA Communities helps overcome the isolation many students feel when studying alone, as well as providing an instant and informal means of asking questions and discussing issues. Anyone can set up - or join - an online community, and a quick review of the full list reveals the variety and scope of communities currently up and running.
Website review
The ACCA website will undergo a major review during 2005. This will identify areas which may be enhanced further, and look at better ways to navigate and search the site. Content and presentation will also be enhanced, and there will be greater opportunities for users to personalise the site, tailoring menus and options to reflect the way they want to access information.
The review will take place over the year, with changes gradually phased in. The end result should be a website of even greater relevance to its users - and to make sure this happens, the web team will actively canvass site visitors for their views over the coming months, so look out for opportunities to contribute to an even better ACCA website.
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