ACCA and SMU Academy to equip finance leaders for tech, geopolitical challenges

The 12-day course targets AI skills gap amongst finance professionals.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and SMU Academy have unveiled a six-module programme to prepare finance leaders for technological, sustainability, and geopolitical challenges.

The programme, called Advanced Certificate in Finance Leadership for Technological, Sustainability and Geopolitical Disruption, will be available from January 2027.

It will run for 12 days, combining on-campus and online learning to explore macroeconomic trends reshaping the finance industry.

Other topics include artificial intelligence (AI) applications in finance and accounting, intangible assets and intellectual property, environmental, social, and governance reporting, sustainable finance, leadership, and cross-border risk management.

The programme addresses a skills gap amongst finance professionals, ACCA and SMU said. Research by ACCA and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand found that 72% of respondents had either basic generative AI proficiency or none at all.

Data quality and a lack of skills were each cited by 42% of respondents as key barriers to generating better business insights.

The programme is designed for accountants, finance managers, controllers, data analysts, risk and compliance specialists, and audit and governance professionals, the groups said.

Applicants should have at least two years of experience in financial services or foundational knowledge of the finance industry.