PrintCIPFA Scottish Students Society
About Us
The CIPFA Scottish Students' Society exists to promote and support CIPFA students at all stages of their studies, and is the leading and most established Student Society in the UK.
The Society is run by an Executive Committee comprising a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer (all qualified members). As well as the official post holders, the Committee has another 4 qualified members, up to 6 student representatives and a varying number of co-opted members (co-opted members come from various backgrounds and the two PAQ providers in Scotland - Glasgow Caledonian University and CETC East Scotland).
All members serve for a period of 2 years, although it is not unusual for certain willing members to remain on the Committee for longer periods. Students are represented not only from different employment areas, but also by examination stage and by course provider.
One important aspect of the Scottish Students' Society is that it provides a forum through which students' voices can be heard within CIPFA. The Chair of the Society is a member of the CIPFA in Scotland Executive Committee and the Vice-Chair represents the Chair on the Board for the Regions. This allows any particular concerns of students to be raised both within CIPFA in Scotland and CIPFA nationally.
The main role of the Executive Committee is to organise a series of lecture programmes for CIPFA students each year. These lectures programmes are organised to enhance the students' awareness and experiences of the Public Sector at large. The Executive Committee attempt to make the lecture programmes both topical and interesting.
Download: Development Plan 2007 | Annual Report 2007
Aims and Objectives of the Students' Society
Why are we here?
- To assist in the overall education and development of CIPFA students in attaining the CIPFA qualification.
- To raise student awareness of the wider issues of the public service/sector environment.
- To facilitate the sharing of information and to encourage networking amongst students.
- To provide additional support for Distance Learners and geographically remote students.
- To increase the level of support offered to Students by their employers and support the Scottish Branch in supporting The Employers Accreditation Scheme.
- To motivate Students and their Employers to take a more active role in CIPFA Scotland and the CIPFA Scottish Students' Society
- To represent the interests of students on the Scottish Branch Executive and CIPFA in general.
How does it work?
- Student members elect an Executive Committee at the Society AGM in March/April each year
- Committee members are elected for a period of 2 years and may be re-elected
- Committee members can include:
o Corporate members of the institute
o Registered students
o Accounting technicians
o Co-opted members
What do the committee do?
- Provision of a lecture programme dealing with current issues and concerns in the public finance debate
- Liaison with the Institute e.g. on matters relating to the Professional Accounting Qualification (PAQ)
- Liaison with academics over course provision
Who can attend student seminars? - The lecture programme is geared to meet the needs of CIPFA students, but the meetings are open to anyone with an interest in the topic of the day.
Anecdotes from current students include the following:
"The society provides students with a means of communicating with CIPFA during the course of their studies. The society is independent of employers, who usually have their own view of what their students need. The society also provides a forum for open learners, who otherwise lack leverage in communicating with CIPFA. In addition the society arranges an annual programme of events which students are invited to suggest ideas for. The society aims to encourage students to engage with the wider experience of studying CIPFA, and hopefully to enjoy themselves at the same time."
Mark Sims, Audit Scotland