MSCA Legacy, the company formed last year to distribute the endowment previously held by the Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants, has broadened the support it offers to students at AMBS.
MSCA Legacy award a cash prize to a recent graduate and providing bursaries and mentorship to three postgraduates.
MSCA Legacy awarded the David Illingworth Memorial Prize, named in honour of the late former MSCA and ICAEW national president, to Eve Moores, who graduated from AMBS this summer with a BA Econ in Accounting and Finance. The award was made in recognition of her dissertation analysing the challenges facing the UK's rail operating companies, and the market in which they operate.
She said: "I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to complete my dissertation as it allowed me to integrate my accounting skills with a highly relevant social and economic challenge. Receiving the David Illingworth Memorial Prize for my project has been an incredible honour, and I look forward to engaging with MSCA Legacy in the future."
Developing the next generation in accounting
Since graduating, Eve has secured a position as an audit associate on PwC's graduate scheme. She begins her new role at the firm's Manchester office in September.
Alistair Hollows, chair of MSCA Legacy, said: "AMBS, along with the city's other universities, plays a vital role in developing the next generation of our profession, and we believe it is important to use the resources available to MSCA Legacy to support this.
"I would like to congratulate Eve on a thoroughly researched, thought-provoking and compellingly argued piece of work. Her dissertation is a great demonstration of how the skills that underpin the accountancy profession can be applied to analyse, and develop solutions to, the real-world problems holding back growth in our economy."
MSCA Legacy is also providing mentorship and bursaries to three PhD students at AMBS. One of these students is researching ways that the best people can be recruited into the profession in the face the reputational damage done by audit-related scandals. Another student is looking at how accounting rules can best be applied internationally; the third student is examining the role of auditors in monitoring ethical issues.
Valuable relationship
Chris Humphrey, Professor of Accounting at AMBS, said: "Our relationship with, first, MSCA, and now MSCA Legacy, is proving so valuable. It gives our students and staff ready access to important local professional, business and charity sector networks and an associated diversity of practical accounting experience and expertise.
"Importantly, it also helps to alert the practice domain to the latest developments in academic thought and, in this regard, it has been particularly pleasing to receive comments from the MSCA on the stimulating nature of the student dissertations and research reports that have been considered for legacy awards.
"The recent extension of the award scheme is a most welcome move. It is exciting to think how this can further develop in the future and what role it could play, for instance, in serving to advance debate on the future of accounting and auditing and the strategic priorities and responsibilities of the profession more generally."
Key issues facing accountancy
Mr Hollows added that attracting the best talent into chartered accountancy and rethinking the processes and scope of auditing to respond to new economic, social, regulatory and technological environments are some of the key issues facing the profession.
"The postgraduate programmes at the city's universities are at the forefront of research into these, and other, challenges. I am really pleased that, as MSCA Legacy, we are able to expand on MSCA's previous relationships with these institutions, providing support and guidance to more next-generation finance and accountancy professionals than ever before."
