As early as July 1956, when the institution was still known as Dewan Latihan RIDA, the Australian Society of Accountants (ASA) course was introduced as one of the earliest professional programmes that opened opportunities for Bumiputera to gain expertise in accounting. This bold initiative became the starting point for developing professional human capital that later played an important role in the nation’s economic development.
The institution’s transformation from Dewan Latihan RIDA to Maktab MARA in 1965, and subsequently to Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM), also witnessed rapid advancement in the field of accounting. The establishment of the Department of Accounting (Kajian Perakaunan) in July 1966, together with the introduction of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Diploma in Accountancy (DIA), demonstrated ITM’s commitment to offering internationally recognised education that met professional requirements.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, the Department of Accounting continued to attain excellence through recognition by international professional bodies such as ICMA, ICSA, ACA and MACPA. The continual strengthening of the curriculum, the appointment of external examiners from the City of London Polytechnic, and examination exemptions granted to DIA graduates reflected the international community’s confidence in ITM’s academic standards.
The culmination of these achievements came when the Advanced Diploma in Accountancy (ADIA), introduced on 1 August 1981, was recognised by the Jawatankuasa Tetap Penilaian dan Pengiktirafan Kelayakan (JPA) on 14 January 1983 as equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from local universities. This historic recognition elevated the stature of ITM’s accounting education and strengthened its reputation as a national leader in professional education.
The Briefing on Accounting Studies to the Director of ITM Shah Alam dated 6 March 1987 stands as an authentic record of an institution that has continuously empowered knowledge, expanded opportunities, and produced thousands of professional accountants who now contribute to the public, corporate and industrial sectors nationally and internationally. This legacy is not merely a historical account but a symbol of UiTM’s excellence in shaping generations of professionals who continue to drive Malaysia’s development.
Seawal Julai 1956, ketika institusi ini masih dikenali sebagai Dewan Latihan RIDA, kursus Australian Society of Accountants (ASA) telah diperkenalkan sebagai antara program profesional terawal yang membuka peluang kepada Bumiputera menguasai bidang perakaunan. Langkah berani ini menjadi titik tolak kepada pembinaan modal insan profesional yang kemudiannya memainkan peranan penting dalam pembangunan ekonomi negara.
Transformasi institusi daripada Dewan Latihan RIDA kepada Maktab MARA pada tahun 1965, dan seterusnya kepada Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM), turut menyaksikan perkembangan pesat bidang perakaunan. Penubuhan Kajian Perakaunan pada Julai 1966 bersama pengenalan program Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) dan Diploma in Accountancy (DIA) membuktikan komitmen ITM dalam menawarkan pendidikan bertaraf antarabangsa yang memenuhi keperluan profesion.
Sepanjang dekad 1970-an dan awal 1980-an, Kajian Perakaunan terus menempa kecemerlangan melalui pengiktirafan badan-badan profesional dunia seperti ICMA, ICSA, ACA dan MACPA. Pelaksanaan kurikulum yang sentiasa diperkasakan, pelantikan pemeriksa luar dari City of London Polytechnic, serta pengecualian peperiksaan profesional kepada graduan DIA mencerminkan keyakinan komuniti antarabangsa terhadap mutu akademik ITM.
Kemuncak kepada pencapaian tersebut hadir apabila Advanced Diploma in Accountancy (ADIA) yang diperkenalkan pada 1 Ogos 1981 diiktiraf oleh Jawatankuasa Tetap Penilaian dan Pengiktirafan Kelayakan (JPA) pada 14 Januari 1983 sebagai setaraf Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perakaunan universiti tempatan. Pengiktirafan bersejarah ini mengangkat martabat pendidikan perakaunan ITM ke tahap yang lebih tinggi serta memperkukuhkan reputasinya sebagai peneraju pendidikan profesional negara.
Dokumen Taklimat Kajian Perakaunan kepada Pengarah ITM Shah Alam bertarikh 13 Januari 1987 menjadi bukti autentik perjalanan sebuah institusi yang tidak pernah berhenti memperkasa ilmu, memperluas peluang dan melahirkan ribuan akauntan profesional yang kini menyumbang kepada sektor awam, korporat dan industri di peringkat nasional serta antarabangsa. Warisan ini bukan sekadar catatan sejarah, tetapi simbol keunggulan UiTM dalam membentuk generasi profesional yang terus memacu pembangunan Malaysia.