Once satisfied that they meet the ongoing eligibility criteria outlined below, members can apply to join the register by completing a registration form.
The application form requires detailed responses reflecting the applicant's business background, specific skills, relevant experience and preferred areas of interest.
There is no cost to join the register, but applicants must meet the following criteria:
1. Attaining FCPA status is one of the initial requirements for listing on the register, since it reflects the level of experience that CPA Australia believes provides a sound basis for a potential director.
FCPAs must have 15 years' experience in a finance, accounting or business field, with five of those years spent in a senior management position. Applications for advancement to Fellow will be considered.
2. Members must complete a CPA Australia-recognised directors course (assessed) within 12 months of being listed on the CPA directors' register.
Recognised courses include:
AICD company directors course
Chartered Secretaries of Australia (graduate diploma in company secretarial practice or graduate diploma in applied corporate governance)
Although these specific courses are recommended, you may attend a similar directors' course, provided it is approved by CPA Australia.
An exemption from this requirement is only possible if a member has completed one of the recognised directors' courses within the last 10 years or has recent significant board or CEO experience with large public or proprietary companies. This experience must be at least five years in duration and include five of the seven following areas:
corporate governance
company law
strategic performance measurement and management
trade practices legislation
good employment practice
risk management
environmental and sustainability management issues
better practice in financial risk management
Experience in corporate governance and corporate law are mandatory.
To apply for an exemption, applicants should complete the exemption form and send it with the application.
CPA Australia reserves the right to accept or reject a previously completed course based on the suitability of the course content and institutional credentials.
3. All Associates, CPAs and FCPAs must complete 120 structured continuing professional development (CPD) hours per triennium to maintain their status.
To remain on the register, members must also ensure that 45 hours (15 hours per year) of their CPD is related to corporate governance and the skills required of a director. This is within the existing overall CPD requirement of 120 structured hours per triennium, not over and above.
The requirement can be fulfilled through completing the relevant CPA Australia courses or those provided by other organisations as long as they are related to the responsibilities of someone on a board.
Update courses (such as those offered by AICD), which follow on from a recognised directors course, can also be used to fulfil the CPD requirement.
For further information about CPD call 1300 857 705 or visit the Training & Events section of the website.
4. Applicants must not have any adverse disciplinary findings, or be under investigation or disciplinary review.
This page is available online at:
http://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/cpa/hs.xsl/588_4060_ENA_HTML.htm
