Established in 1928, The Association of International Accountants (AIA) is a leading professional body for accountants and finance professionals with a long-standing reputation for excellence in professional education and a dynamic global membership.
Based in the United Kingdom, AIA has an established history of improving professional skills and ethical standards across the sector; our members are recognised, respected and regulated.
AIA’s commitment to protecting the public interest and advancing professional standards is evident through our respected qualifications portfolio, robust membership requirements and the production of research, best practice and skills guidance.
Members are bound by the AIA Constitution which includes regulatory requirements and a Code of Ethics.
AIA actively seeks further accreditation, recognition and independent regulation with external stakeholders, government and standard setters to ensure both the AIA and its members are trusted, respected and accountable.
AIA is a Recognised Qualifying Body (RQB) for statutory auditors in the UK and regulated by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and is named on the UK government Regulated Professions Register. AIA is a Prescribed Body under the Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act 2014 in the Republic of Ireland. AIA is a supervisory body under the UK and ROI Money Laundering Regulations. AIA practising certificate holders also enjoy additional wide ranging statutory and business recognition.
AIA's professional qualification has been independently assessed by the UK National Information Centre (UK ENIC, formerly NARIC) for global qualifications and skills as comparable to Level 7 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework. AIA has also published an independent review of its Professional Qualification mapped against additional international education frameworks.
AIA is a member of the European Federation of Accountants and Auditors for SMEs (EFAA) (an IFAC Network Partner). EFAA for SMEs has 15 members throughout Europe representing over 400,000 accountants, auditors and tax advisors. EFAA for SMEs is a member of the association of crafts and SMEs (SMEunited) and a founding member of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG).
As a Commonwealth accredited organisation, AIA adheres to the values and principles embedded in Commonwealth Declarations, notably the Singapore Declaration on Commonwealth Principles (1971) and the Harare Commonwealth Declaration (1991), which outlines a commitment to promoting democracy and good governance, human rights and the rule of law, gender equality and sustainable economic and social development.
AIA believes in the fundamental principle that education is a catalyst for positive change, and our commitment to accessibility aims to contribute to a more equitable and progressive world by nurturing the potential of all our members.
Our approach has always been that access to education should be open to all, regardless of gender, location, and socio-economic background. Where appropriate, we lower barriers to access through reduced, subsidised, or waived fees, to actively promote diversity and inclusion. This is not just a matter of ethical imperative, but also a strategic investment in the future of societies.
This has been our ethos since inception and has more recently been reinforced by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), resonating with their core principles and objectives.
AIA is a leading force in the accountancy profession, providing a strong voice, superior qualifications and unrivalled support for accountants worldwide.
AIA is a membership organisation providing world class qualifications, training and services to support accountants throughout their working lives, equipping them with the skills, knowledge and expertise to ensure they are at the forefront of their profession. We act in the public interest and promote and develop the accountancy profession and the interests of our members.
