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CA Sri Lanka  Integrated Annual Report 2024                                                         11








                              During the year, CA Sri Lanka was also ranked
                              by LMD as the “Most Respected Professional
                              Institution in Sri Lanka”, reaffirming our position   While there has been notable progress
                              as a leader in the professional services sector,   in new student registration, measures
                              and underscoring our unwavering commitment   are being taken to increase engagement
                              towards excellence, integrity, and professionalism.
                                                                        with students who have not continued
                                                                        their professional journey due to various
                              Sustaining Our Service Excellence         obstacles. Efforts include creating
                              We were persistent in maintaining service
                              excellence, continually exploring ways to improve   awareness about available flexibilities,
                              the quality of service and efficiency of delivery   offering additional flexible options when
                              to our stakeholders. Therefore, focusing on the   and where possible, and providing
                              students, engagement initiatives were carried out   career guidance for these students. This
                              implementing awareness campaigns on social   initiative will be further strengthened
                              media platforms to bust the myth surrounding the   during 2025.
                              accountancy profession. Apart from that, direct
                              interaction was maintained with students, through
                              face-to-face forums to address their queries and   implement capacity-building programs for these
                              concerns. Through such efforts, we were able to   two groups of professionals creating tailored
                              increase the attractiveness of the accountancy   programs to address their current knowledge and
                              profession, discussing the profession in a positive   information requirements. Consequently,  several
                              light in an ever-evolving technology-driven   programs were  implemented for professional
                              operating landscape.                      accountants in practice to raise their awareness of
                                                                        the Sri Lanka Standards on Quality Management
                              One of the key highlights was the examination   (SLSQM), as effective date for the implementation
                              cycles that were organized for the convenience   is from 1st January 2025. Likewise, in collaboration
                              of the students. Throughout 2024, the Institute   with the Financial Intelligence Unit of Sri Lanka, the
                              continued to conduct on-demand online exams for   Institute conducted several joint sessions on the
                              the first two levels providing monthly exam options   role of financial professionals in the prevention of
                              for the students and reducing their waiting time   money laundering and the financing of terrorism,
                              to sit for the exams. The frequent exam options   thereby training industry professionals on the
                              were aggressively promoted during the financial   significance of complying with such regulations.
                              year creating better awareness amongst the   These awareness sessions also highlighted the
                              students on the flexibility of choices available to   need for appropriate risk management, including
                              complete the CA program. With the same intent,   client assessment and due diligence, both before
                              we upgraded the island-wide branch network   on boarding and during the servicing process.
                              including the renovation of the Kurunegala branch
                              with the state of the art facilities,  All branches are   We are happy to see the significant increase in
                              equipped with the required IT infrastructure to   CPD programs in 2024 totalling to 373 hours of
                              further support the on-demand exam process for   which more than 30% (114 hours) were offered
                              our students.                             free of charge. Further strengthening our support
                                                                        mechanism for the members, CA Sri Lanka also
                              While there has been notable progress in new   reactivated the CPD Online Academy to upskill
                              student registration, measures are being taken to   our members, who can now log in to the online
                              increase engagement with students who have not   academy and claim CPD by referring to the
                              continued their professional journey due to various   materials, videos uploaded and by answering
                              obstacles. Efforts include creating awareness   relevant  MCQs.
                              about available flexibilities, offering additional
                              flexible options when and where possible, and   On a similar note, frequent member engagement
                              providing career guidance for these students. This   initiatives were organized in the form of
                              initiative will be further strengthened during 2025.   knowledge-sharing and networking events. For the
                                                                        new members, the Institute plans to reintroduce a
                              Aligned with our member value proposition, we   mentoring program to assist them in reaching their
                              introduced two committees: for the professional   full potential by sharing knowledge and guidance
                              accountants in practice and the professional   on core areas of importance to Chartered
                              accountants in business. The aim was to   Accountants.
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