October 2004

Technical articles

Awarding honours
Gwen Cheeseman reports on this year's celebration of achievement at Oxford Brookes University
Prizewinners
Over 210,000 exam scripts from 126 countries around the world were marked following the June 2004 exam session. Over 93,000 Professional Scheme students and nearly 16,000 CAT Scheme students took ACCA exams in June.
Stability and growth
Reform has been agreed to Europe's Stability and Growth Pact, probably inevitably after it had been repeatedly ignored by member states. But will it resolve the conflict involved in a single economic zone containing varied fiscal policies?
Quality control?
The Big Four firms have missed 'significant audit and accounting issues', indicating 'concerns about significant aspects of each firm's quality controls systems', according to the first limited inspections of their work
Ethical challenges
Being a responsible finance professional takes a lifetime of effort explains Lesley Meall
Accused
Conrad Black has earned his place in the roll-call of notorious media barons if the report into Hollinger International produced by former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Richard Breedon is correct.
Funding terror
Money laundering controls are having little impact on al-Qaeda's ability to launch terrorist offences, says a report from the United Nations.
Centenary wrap
Updates on events that have taken place so far as part of ACCA's year-long centenary celebrations