Birmingham City University Business School, in association with CIMA Sri Lanka Division, is pleased to introduce the MSc Accountancy and Finance (Top-Up) programme, which will for the first time, be delivered outside the UK, in Colombo and was launched at the Cinnamon Grand on August 1.
This is a unique and innovative Master's degree programme, which has been running in the UK for the past five years on a 6- month full-time basis, specifically designed to appeal to CIMA students who have successfully completed their professional accountancy examinations and would like to study for a Master's degree or obtain an academic qualification if they do not already hold a Bachelor's degree.

Therefore, bringing the programme to Sri Lanka provides a unique opportunity to top up the CIMA qualification to a UK master's/academic degree without the extra cost of living in the UK and/or the cost of having to give up current employment to study on a full-time basis.

Instead, the programme has been re-structured to be completed in 6-9 months on a blended, flexible part-time learning basis.

The first intake of students will commence on Friday September 9. The programme of study will start with week-end and week-day evening lecture sessions here in Colombo, totalling about 48 direct teaching hours. The lectures will be delivered by Birmingham City Business School academic staff, beginning on the Friday evening through to the early evening of Sunday September 18.

Bradley Emerson, Regional Director South Asia, Middle East & North Africa, at the launch said, "The purpose of CIMA is to ensure employability and career progression of its members and students. We at the Sri Lanka Division consciously and continuously endure to fulfil this purpose. The Top - up Master's Degree in Finance & Accounting offered to members and exam completed students in Sri Lanka is one such initiative.

We are very pleased to have Birmingham City University Business School coming forward to offer this unique opportunity at a very special price to our members and exam completed students to acquire a British Master's degree. This collaboration is an outcome of shared purpose, mutual recognition in curriculum and the mutual commitment to increase the global portability of CIMA members and students in Sri Lanka".

Vice-Chancellor Birmingham City University, Professor David Tidmarsh on the launch of the programme said "It's a real honour to be formally launching this additional level of study for CIMA members and students in Sri Lanka. This is an important milestone in the relationship between Birmingham City University and our partner CIMA Sri Lanka. As a University that is fully engaged with the needs of employers we have long recognised that working closely with professional bodies is critical in developing professionals with the skills and confidence needed in an ever competitive global marketplace."

CIMA (the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) is an international accountancy body with a sole focus on business. It is a world leading professional institute that offers an internationally recognised qualification in management accountancy, focusing on accounting in business, in both the private and public sectors. It is the voice of over 158,000 students and members in 161 countries. CIMA is responsible for the education and training of management accountants who work in industry, commerce and not-for-profit, and has more members in the public sector than any other UK based body. CIMA prides itself on the commercial relevance of its syllabus, which is in tune with the activities of high performance organisations, and evolves continually to reflect the latest developments in global business.

CIMA has been nominated as a UK Superbrand for a second year in a row this year and for the first time in Sri Lanka. According to independent research conducted by the University of Bath School of Management, CIMA's syllabus and examination structure are the most relevant to the needs of business of all the accountancy bodies assessed. See the CIMA Difference report for further information at www.cimaglobal.com/thecimadifference. CIMA is committed to upholding the highest ethical and professional standards of members and students, and to maintaining public confidence in management accountancy. For more information about CIMA, please visit www.cimaglobal.com.