Initial Professional Development training

Initial Professional Development (IPD) training prepares candidates to enter the profession of Certified Accountant. It provides their further theoretical and practical education and the development of professional skills and competences, as well as of ethical values and attitudes, in accordance with Article 49, letter “c”, of Law No. 10091 and with the International Education Standards (IES) of IFAC. The training is organised by IKM through the Education and Professional Qualification Committee, on the basis of the annual programme approved by the Managing Council, and is one of the legal criteria for registration for the Professional Competence Examinations.

Programme structure

Module 1 — National Accounting Standards (SKK)

32 training hours. The module covers the legal framework for financial reporting in Albania (Law No. 25/2018 “On accounting and financial statements”), the National Accounting Standards approved by the National Accounting Council, the preparation of financial statements under the SKK and the application of the standards in practical cases, with exercises similar to those of the first exam.

Module 2 — International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

20 training hours. The module covers the Conceptual Framework for financial reporting, the main financial reporting standards applicable to entities in Albania and their most recent amendments, financial statement analysis, as well as cost and management accounting, with exercises and practical cases.

The detailed programme of each module, with its topics and trainers, is published with the announcement of each session.

Test and certificates

At the end of the two modules, candidates sit a test on the knowledge they have acquired. Candidates who pass the test are awarded the certificate for National Accounting Standards and the certificate for International Financial Reporting Standards. The certificates bear the number from the IKM training register and are signed by the Chairman of the Education and Professional Qualification Committee and by the Chairman of the Managing Council.

For registration for the exams, the certificates are valid from the moment they are issued, except where substantial changes occur in the relevant standards, according to the criteria that KPAP publishes for each exam season. Candidates who are still in training at the time of registration may submit the confirmation of course completion to KPAP up to five days before the first exam. Candidates who do not pass the test may retake it at the next training session.

Session calendar

The training is held twice a year, in spring and in autumn, with the SKK module followed by the IFRS module within a few weeks. The dates, venue and registration deadline are published under News → Training and are sent by email to candidate members.

Conditions for registration

In accordance with Regulation No. 06 “On Education and Professional Qualification”, the training is open to candidates who:

• have joined IKM as candidates for Certified Accountant;
• have settled their membership obligations under the Statute;
• have paid the training fee.

Registration is made through the online form published with the session announcement, where the payment slip is also uploaded. The training fee is communicated to candidates by the Secretariat.

Attendance and materials

The training is held in person. Admission to the test requires attendance of at least 75% of the hours of each module. Training materials are prepared by IKM and made available to participants at the start of each module. The trainers are accounting lecturers and Certified Accountants with training experience, certified in SKK and IFRS.

For questions about Initial Professional Development training, IKM staff are available to help at ikm.alb@gmail.com or through the Contact page.