Stellenbosch University's School of Accountancy is thrilled with the 88% pass rate obtaine​d by the BAccHons class of 2018 in the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)'s first professional exam, the Initial Test of Competence (ITC).

This is the first of two exams conducted by SAICA that individuals who want to qualify as chartered accountants in South Africa have to pass. The students took the exam in January this year.

With an average pass rate of 76% nationally, SU is in the third place among the 16 SAICA-accredited universities in the country. SU's Ms Anja Kanzler also achieved tenth place in the country.

The Universities of Pretoria and North-West are in joint first position with pass rates of 94% each.

Prof Pieter von Wielligh, professor in auditing and Deputy Director: Learning and Teaching of the School of Accountancy, explained that the exam had been taken by a record number of SU students, namely 280. Among the residential universities, only the University of Cape Town – with its 372 students – had more candidates.

"The excellent achievement by our BAccHons students in the ITC not only underlines the quality teaching offered by the School in a very concrete and visible way, but also the quality of students the School draws," Prof Von Wielligh said.

"The School of Accountancy is proud of its honours class of 2018's excellent performance.”

Prof Ingrid Woolard, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, congratulated the School, including all its academic and administrative staff. “It is not just those that teach directly on the honours programme that contribute to the success of our students; the scaffolding provided in the earlier years is just as important.”