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Chartered Accountants Ireland is set to transform professional education with the launch of Project Athena, an ambitious initiative introducing advanced technology and adaptive learning. Ian Browne highlights what to expect The start of each academic year brings a sense of anticipation for students and the education team, but this year promises to be a very exciting prospect.  The launch of our programmes this year coincides with the introduction of important new initiatives that are set to enhance the learning journey of students for many years to come.  Project Athena Since 2021, the Education Department at Chartered Accountants Ireland has been working to re-imagine the future of education in our profession. Our goal has been to ensure that our students are equipped with the most up-to-date skills and professional training to meet the future needs of business and society.  We will do this by designing and delivering high-quality, student- and member-centred future-focused education.  Our roadmap to achieve this – known as Project Athena – is an ambitious, wide-ranging and multi-year plan. It leverages the most advanced education technology and incorporates the latest in online education theory.  Its remit covers examination, assessment and our learning delivery model while also addressing broader challenges like ensuring our learners maintain their technical knowledge and can evolve their skills throughout their careers.  We have now reached the first implementation phase and are ready to introduce several key initiatives, some of which will be initially released to our first year (CAP1) students.  So, what does this mean for you?  New learning platform We’re excited to release a new Learning Hub, with an advanced and intuitive learning platform for students on all three programmes this September.  We’ve partnered with leading international online learning developers Area9 to create a bespoke platform with Chartered Accountants Ireland learners in mind.  The platform provides a fully integrated experience, connecting all your learning content, textbooks in e-book format, exam-standard question packs and other learning resources – in one aligned pathway, be that for CAP1, CAP2 or FAE.  The platform is easy to find, bookmark and navigate. It also includes a new Communicator function, making it faster to communicate and connect with lecturers and fellow students. In the case of e-books, investment in this technology evidences the Institute’s long-term commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and is a mainstay of our sustainability agenda.  Over time you’ll also see a new technology solution for students to record relevant professional experience (to replace the current CA Diary). Data-driven One of the major advantages of our new platform is the insight we will have into the behaviours and experiences of our students.  We will not only be able to measure engagement metrics but will also have insight into how well our students understand the topics, their level of mastery and where additional supports could be applied over time.  Adaptive learning The most exciting development is the introduction of a new model of online learning, adaptive learning, now ready for release.  Adaptive learning is rapidly becoming recognised as the future of education delivery. It is a data-driven, personalised and participative learning journey with you in the driving seat. High impact and engaging content will be provided at a pace that suits you.  You choose your level of proficiency at the start and view learning content. This is followed by rounds of questions that assess your recall and understanding at each stage. This combination of content and questions makes our new format a genuinely interactive experience.  Initially, two subjects will be delivered using adaptive learning technology to first-year students (CAP1) only: Law RoI/NI and Finance. More information on how to engage with adaptive learning and how to use the functionality will be provided over the coming weeks and in live webinars.  CAP1 autoscored exams Another significant change in exams is the introduction of an autoscored-style assessment format.  Autoscored assessments will use a variety of question types that assess a student’s understanding of the curriculum and will further streamline the online examination process, delivering results much faster.  Autoscored questions will be worked through in each CAP1 live webinar (please refer to 2024/25 timetables).  Sample autoscored papers will be available to reference on the Learning Hub early in the academic year.  This will be initially for all CAP1 students only and the CAP1 exams in May 2025.  Global leader in professional education The above initiatives are the first stage of enhancements, with much more to come.  We are confident that Athena will position Chartered Accountants Ireland as a global leader in professional education. We hope that all our students find the coming academic year an enjoyable, rewarding time.  If you have any questions about Project Athena or regarding a specific area mentioned above, please do not hesitate to contact your programme team at cap1/cap2/fae@charteredaccountants.ie Ian Browne is Director of Education at Chartered Accountants Ireland

From FAE Exams to Senior Associate – Suvi Inkinen explains how she is navigating the post-exam transition from student to full member of Chartered Accountants Ireland I started my three-and-half-year training contract with PwC in September 2020. I had exemptions from the CAP1 exams due to my qualifications from my college degree, leading me to complete my CAP2 exams in my first year and my FAEs in my second.  I was over the moon when I passed my FAE exams in 2022. It’s an outstanding achievement to pass this set of exams, but it also meant I wouldn’t have to study again if I didn’t want to. It was such a fun and bizarre feeling – I hadn’t had a break from exams since pre-college.  It’s a strange feeling to return to work after passing your FAEs. If you’re like me, you didn't think much about life post-exams once you joined your training organisation. Knowing you no longer have exams to complete, no more study leave to take, and no exam workshops and lectures to attend feels foreign. However, the lingering stress of an upcoming exam is also gone, and that feels amazing. When I returned to work after passing my FAEs, I had been out of the office for around four months (three months of study leave and one month of annual leave), and, as an Associate 3, I received a lot more responsibility.  For my first engagement post-exams, I was seconded to the finance department of a large technology company. The content I had studied for my FAEs – which I had spent hours learning, looking over and studying – was precisely what I needed to know for this posting. All the effort was immediately worth it. Over a year after passing my FAEs, I am now a Senior Associate at PwC, which has been a considerable step up from being an Associate 3. I find it challenging but also more fulfilling. This is my first time being a senior on an engagement and delegating work to other associates. It can be pretty daunting, but I’m enjoying it, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my two years of lectures and training contract.  Beyond the liberating gift of a little free time and peace of mind, conquering your exams and going through your training contract opens up opportunities to get involved with the Chartered Accountant Student Societies.  In my case, my involvement in the Dublin and Ireland committees expanded after I passed my exams. I urge anyone, particularly those caught in the whirlwind of membership transition with some extra moments to spare, to dive into this community. It’s an experience that can enrich your professional journey. I’m currently on the exciting path of becoming a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland. There are two crucial steps ahead: submitting my CA diary and completing my graduation. This journey has been very fulfilling, and I take immense pride in how far I’ve come, all while contributing my expertise to PwC.

With 2023 on the horizon, and new committees being elected in November, why not get involved with your regional society? Grace Tighe highlights the benefits of being part of this tight-knit community As 2022 draws to a close, we look forward to a new year and term for Chartered Accountants Student Societies Ireland (CASSI) regional committees.  In November, CASSI will host regional annual general meetings to elect new committees for 2023. Positions that will be up for grabs vary from Treasurer to Public Relations Officer to Events Officer.  Now is the time to join your regional committee as an ordinary member and maybe move your way up through the ranks over your course to membership.  However, if that doesn't interest you, there are still many great reasons to get involved in a CASSI regional society.  It's fun The main reason to join CASSI is the fun!  CASSI will allow you to meet new people and try new things. Speaking from personal experience, the CASSI weekend away is one of the year's best events. Being involved in a regional society means you are guaranteed a ticket and can get involved in the organisation of the weekend.  Many other social events, such as team dinners, bowling nights, regional balls and seasonal events, happen every year. They are a great way of making new friends and bonding with your regional team. Enhance your CV Employers are looking for people with transferable skills like communication and teamwork. CASSI is the perfect way to improve your leadership abilities, communication skills, collaboration, and confidence.  There's no better way to impress an employer than to show you're willing to get involved, work hard and gain skills outside the workplace.   Every regional society has a team of executives that help organise events, look after their social media, manage finances, and ensure the regional society runs smoothly. Getting into one of these positions is a great way to build experience for your CV.  For example, if you're looking at getting into marketing or pivoting roles after your training contract, being the Public Relations Officer for a CASSI regional division is a great way to start. Networking CASSI provides ample opportunities to interact with peers and foster healthy relationships. Meeting people who share your interests widens your social network beyond your course.  CASSI can also be a fantastic platform to meet potential employers by participating in networking events. These connections will be invaluable for you in your future career.  Finally, you will have the opportunity to meet with various people in the Institute who will guide you on your path to membership and beyond.  Diversity In many cases, CASSI regional committees are made up of diverse groups of students who happen to share a common interest. You can meet different types of people through CASSI – perhaps even a more diverse set of people than you would have previously worked or interacted with. Enrichment Being a part of CASSI helps you to gain knowledge, skills and experience in leadership, communication, problem-solving, group development and management, finance, presentation, and public speaking. By becoming a member of CASSI, you will also have an input into decisions that will affect you and other students directly along your path to becoming an ACA.  Keep an eye out on the CASSI social media accounts and your inbox for details of when the regional AGMs will be happening. We look forward to seeing you there! Grace Tighe is the Chair of CASSI  

In the last issue of The Bottom Line, Fiona Smiddy spoke to us about what she was expecting from the One Young World Summit in Manchester. Now, she tells us about what she experienced and her plans for the future. The One Young World (OYW) Summit opening ceremony was a colourful introduction to the days ahead. We were treated to a flag-bearing ceremony, where over 200 flags were paraded on stage. These represented the 2000-plus delegates and ambassadors attending the summit in person and virtually. Significantly, the first flag was that of the Refugee Nation (a symbolic initiation to unite refugees across the globe). The packed auditorium was on its feet, clapping to show support, and understanding that war, oppression, natural disasters, and climate change are daily adding to the numbers represented by this flag. It was fitting, then, that the keynote speeches focused on the importance of leadership in a challenging world. Former Irish President, Mary Robinson, spoke of the growing divide in the world between autocratic and democratic leadership, noting the need for transformative leadership to motivate and inspire in the face of global challenges, and calling on the young leaders in the room to imagine a world without the fumes of fossil fuels, clean cities, rewilded countryside and equal access to clean energy and clean jobs. In the end, Robinson asked an important question: “What if our best world is still ahead of us?” Sir Bob Geldof echoed the call for the young people in the room to emerge as new leaders across society and in business to replace some of the “creeps” currently in leadership roles. Even with their differing speaking styles, the tone had been set for the week: the global challenges are clear, but can we rise to answer them? Young leaders in action Over the next few days, we heard inspirational talks and participated in workshops and action sessions with opportunities to share ideas and solutions for various global issues. Ambitious leaders shared heartfelt stories and expressed their commitment to action on a local, national and international level. Dr Caroline McGroary, a Chartered Accountant and 2020/21’s Chartered Star, and I co-delivered a workshop in conjunction with Chartered Accountants Worldwide, Financial Literacy as an enabler of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I spoke to attendees about ‘The Power in Our Pocket’ and how we can change the world by engaging with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and attendees were asked to reflect on what they heard and voice where they could pledge to act in their local communities to improve financial literacy, particularly among at-risk groups. One area participants were encouraged to get involved in was the FinBiz2030 taskforces, a joint initiative between One Young World and Chartered Accountants Worldwide, which aims to establish an active and engaged finance and business community globally dedicated to achieving the UN SDGs. Representing One Young World Over the four days, the emphasis that the OYW Summit should act as a catalyst for OYW ambassadors to become changemakers was continually reinforced. Although most attendees are already actively working either in their jobs or in a voluntary capacity towards positive social or climate change, we were asked to do more. Inspired by the time I spent at OYW and meeting with the other Chartered Accountants Worldwide delegates from the UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, I feel passionate about further utilising my ACA accreditation to leave a lasting impact on our world. Thank you, Chartered Accountants Ireland, for this opportunity to attend One Young World 2022. I am proud to be part of such a brilliant community and profession championing positive change. I look forward to seeing the build-up to One Young World 2023 in Belfast. Fiona Smiddy ACA is Chartered Accountant Ireland’s 2022 Chartered Star and founder of Green Outlook