CIMA administers first at-home exams amid coronavirus pandemic

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants has delivered its first-ever at-home exams to students across the world this month, as a result of the ongoing COVID-1`9 pandemic.

CIMA previously announced the decision as a means to keep its students engaged outside of regular test centers. The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the unified voice of CIMA and the American Institute of CPAs, said it had been developing a testing solution since the early days of the pandemic.

“The road ahead will of course be difficult but management accountants can really put their skills to use to help their organisations, and showcase how much value they bring to businesses," said Stephen Flatman, vice president of examinations — management accounting, in statement. "We are proud of the great resilience our students are showing to keep their careers moving, and steadily grow the pool of finance professionals able to help organisations navigate even the most uncertain and complex times.”

“Our colleagues and partners worked hard to come up with and deliver an at-home testing solution for our students in a very short amount of time," Flatman added. "This change in our approach has so far enabled students from over 70 countries to progress their studies, book their CIMA exams and get them closer to earning the CGMA designation.”

“I was feeling rather nervous about sitting my exam, especially under new and unfamiliar conditions," said Matthew Barton, a CIMA student, in a statement. "But once I clicked the 'begin exam' button the process was very smooth, it’s close enough to the test center experience so it’s not worth delaying your studies until they can reopen. I feel a lot better about the process now and will sit another exam next month.”

For more information, head to CIMA's site here.