On 24 August 2026, National Economics University (NEU) welcomed a delegation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) for a strategic meeting to advance their long-standing partnership in accounting and auditing education. The meeting took place as NEU and ICAEW mark ten years of cooperation around the ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (CFAB), providing an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the partnership and discuss its next phase. Building on this foundation, the two sides explored ways to deepen the integration of internationally recognised professional standards into NEU’s academic programmes and create stronger pathways towards international professional qualifications for students.

The ICAEW delegation was led by Ms. Azlina Bulmer, Director of International, and included Ms. Elaine Hong, Regional Director of South East Asia; Ms. Trang Dang, Head of ICAEW Vietnam; Ms. Nhung Bui, Student Engagement and Business Development Manager; and Ms. Hoa Nguyen, Member and Student Engagement Manager. 

Representing NEU were Prof. Nguyen Huu Anh, Vice President; Assoc. Prof. Dinh The Hung, Vice Dean of the School of Accounting and Auditing; Dr. Pham Sy Long, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department; and Dr. Doan Thuy Duong, School of Accounting and Auditing. 

Representatives of National Economics University and ICAEW discuss the next phase of cooperation in integrating international professional standards into accounting and auditing education.

A Decade of Academic–Professional Integration

The year 2026 marks ten years of cooperation between NEU and ICAEW around the ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (CFAB), during which the partnership has developed into a distinctive model of academic–professional integration in Vietnam.

NEU’s School of Accounting and Auditing was the first university-based academic unit in Vietnam to integrate ICAEW CFAB into its curriculum. It also pioneered a comprehensive model in which all six CFAB modules are embedded in the programme, ICAEW examinations are compulsory, and completion of the ICAEW CFAB qualification forms part of the programme’s graduation requirements. 

This model goes beyond incorporating a professional qualification into a university curriculum. By connecting academic education with internationally recognised professional standards, it enables students to develop disciplinary knowledge and professional competencies in parallel, while becoming familiar with the expectations of the accounting and auditing profession before graduation.

Over the past decade, the programme has delivered strong academic and professional outcomes. Nearly 1,000 students have participated in the integrated CFAB programme and nearly 500 have completed the qualification, with examination pass rates remaining close to 100 percent and a number of students achieving perfect scores of 100/100. The programme has also recorded strong progression from CFAB to the ACA qualification, with NEU alumni achieving notable ACA outcomes among ICAEW’s university partners in Vietnam.

Importantly, the value of the programme is also reflected in the career pathways of its graduates. Many alumni have gone on to work for international firms and multinational companies, demonstrating the relevance of the knowledge and professional competencies developed through the programme. Their career outcomes have, in turn, contributed to strengthening the programme’s reputation and NEU’s visibility among international employers. NEU’s School of Accounting and Auditing graduates are also among the recruitment targets of the Big Four accounting firms and leading corporations in Vietnam, further illustrating the strong connection between academic preparation and professional practice. 

Taking the Integration Model to the Next Level

Building on these achievements, the strategic meeting focused on how the existing model could be further developed to provide NEU students with a more advanced pathway towards internationally recognised professional qualifications.

A key area under discussion was the possibility of increasing credit for prior learning (CPL)/exemptions at ICAEW Certificate Level and progressively embedding modules from the ACA Professional Level into the curriculum. The two sides discussed the potential integration of two ACA Professional Level modules for the 2026 intake, followed by a further two modules for the 2027 intake. 

If developed and implemented, this enhanced model would enable students to make further progress towards the ACA qualification during their undergraduate studies, strengthening the alignment between university education and international professional pathways.

The two sides also explored opportunities to integrate selected ICAEW Certificate Level modules into other programmes within the School of Accounting and Auditing and, where academically appropriate, to extend the ICAEW integration model to other schools, faculties and programmes across NEU. 

Prof. Nguyen Huu Anh, Vice President of National Economics University, and ICAEW representatives exchange views on the next phase of NEU–ICAEW cooperation.

Connecting Academic Quality with Professional Relevance

The discussions reflect NEU’s broader approach to curriculum development and internationalisation: international cooperation should contribute directly to academic quality, professional relevance and student outcomes.

Partnerships with internationally recognised professional bodies such as ICAEW provide an important channel through which academic programmes can remain connected with evolving professional standards and labour-market expectations. They also create opportunities for students to combine university education with internationally recognised professional qualifications, strengthening their transition from academic study to professional practice and enhancing their readiness for careers in both domestic and international organisations.

The career progression of NEU graduates, including those working with international firms and multinational companies, also creates a valuable feedback loop between academic programmes, professional qualifications and employers. Graduate outcomes and employer recognition provide important evidence of programme relevance, while engagement with the profession helps NEU continuously review and strengthen its curriculum.

For NEU, the next phase of cooperation with ICAEW is therefore not simply about expanding the number of professional modules embedded in academic programmes. More importantly, it is about developing a deeper academic–professional integration model in which curriculum, professional standards and qualification pathways reinforce one another.

This approach is particularly relevant as the accounting, auditing and finance professions continue to evolve in response to digital transformation, technological change and increasingly internationalised business environments. Equipping students with both a strong academic foundation and internationally benchmarked professional competencies will be increasingly important for their ability to adapt and succeed in a changing labour market.

Advancing the NEU–ICAEW Partnership

As NEU and ICAEW mark a decade of cooperation around the CFAB programme, the strategic meeting provided an opportunity not only to reflect on the achievements of the partnership, but also to define its next stage of development.

Moving forward, the two sides will continue discussions on enhancing the existing integration model, creating more advanced pathways towards ICAEW professional qualifications, and exploring how international professional standards can contribute more broadly to curriculum development and educational quality across relevant programmes at NEU.

Building on ten years of experience and strong student outcomes, the next phase of the NEU–ICAEW partnership is expected to deepen the connection between academic excellence, international professional standards and graduate employability—providing students with an education that is academically rigorous, professionally relevant and increasingly connected to the global workplace.

Representatives of NEU and ICAEW at the conclusion of the strategic meeting on 24 August 2026.

By: School of Accounting and Auditing, International Cooperation Department, Communications Department NEU