About this learning event
Growing pressure on budget cuts requires from public sector organizations to focus more on cost. Cost management is not straightforward operation since there are several measurement methodologies that include absorption costing, unit costing, activity-based costing, marginal costing and others.
A real problem is that many public sector organizations keep financial information for budgetary control purposes only, even though terms like ‘value for money’ and ‘efficiency and effectiveness’ are widely used. However, more sophisticated financial analysis is necessary to give these terms practical meaning. For this analysis to be effective, robust management structures need to be in place where managers have delegated authority and are responsible for sound financial management.
This workshop aims to help participants to understand how cost accounting can be developed and used to assist management. It will also allow them to distinguish between various cost concepts and methodologies of measurement. The focus will be on how cost accounting adds value through understanding cost behaviours and cost drivers, thus providing management with meaningful cost measurement that they can use in the search for value for money.
What you will learn
International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is global organization for the accountancy profession. IFAC (2000, 5) reports that cost accounting is nowadays viewed as “an activity that provides information on costs and related data to satisfy a variety of management needs for decision-making.”
Cost accounting has a key role in various government activities, including:
- Determining values in the financial accounting process
- Budgeting
- Cost control and reduction
- Setting prices and fees
- Performance measurement
- Program evaluations.
Cost accounting can in this context be a useful management tool. It does not really matter whether a country is using accrual or cash accounting, cost accounting is of value in either situation. This workshop examines how cost accounting can be used in government activities. Further, it discusses how costs can be identified and classified as well as which concepts of costs to use.
How you will benefit
You will have an opportunity to discuss the uses of cost accounting exercises in public sector organizations. By attending this workshop you will benefit from refreshing your knowledge about costing, methodologies, and you will be able to identify opportunities for using cost accounting in your organization.
Who should attend
This workshop is designed for accountants, financial officers and managers who would benefit from applying cost accounting principles in their job.
As the workshop will be held in ENGLISH with no translation, participants should have a good command of English.
The workshop will be highly participatory. Participants are encouraged to be active in discussions and exercises throughout the three day event.
Faculty
Gary Gilbert
Gary Gilbert has over 40 years' experience of working in the field of public financial management. He is an experienced professional chartered public finance accountant and an expert trainer who has spent 14 years as leader of a professional training college. He has worked in a number of different UK public sector organisations (local government and higher education).
He worked in various positions for CIPFA, the leading accountancy body in the world in the field of public financial management. In 1986 Gary was invited to be part of the team that established the CIPFA Education & Training Centre (CETC). He led CETC from 1996 until his retirement in 2010 and over that period was responsible for ensuring that CETC became the global market leader of CIPFA professional training. During this period he worked with senior staff from the University of Hull to design, develop and deliver an MBA programme in Strategic Financial Management in Hong Kong.
Furthermore, Gary played a prominent role in ensuring that CIPFA and CETC had a leading role to play in developing, designing and delivering qualifications to improve the quality of public financial management in the world, in particular the CIPFA International Certificate and Diploma in Public Financial Management – ICDPFM. This was achieved through developments which came from two significant initiatives working with the Center of Excellence in Finance (CEF) based in Ljubljana, namely Capacity Building in Public Accountancy (CBIPA) and Training Internal Auditors in the Public Sector (TIAPS). Both of these initiatives had a reach beyond Slovenia into Croatia, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro and Slovakia, and further afield into Zambia, Bhutan, Kiribati, Lesotho, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Most recently this programme is now delivered in many countries across the world to finance personnel working in the United Nations Organisation.
In addition, Gary also led the development of bespoke programmes delivered by CETC to enhance accountancy and auditing within the European Commission and the European Court of Auditors. He further ensured that CETC had a leading role in designing and delivering training courses on the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework.
“In my experience I know that the implementation of PFM reforms across the world is dependent upon the quality of staff employed in the finance function. Staff expertise is achieved through sustained capacity building programmes based on high quality relevant education and training in public finance.”
Noel Hepworth
Noel Hepworth was Chief Executive of CIPFA from 1980-1996. He was Chairman of the Féderation des Experts Comptables Européens Public Sector Committee from its establishment in 1985 to 2003. As part of this he was responsible for providing a European perspective on the IFAC public sector standards proposals. In addition on behalf of the Féderation des Experts Comptables Européens he was responsible for the development of their agenda of activity and managed the work of the European profession on the introduction of the single currency across the EU, 1996 to 2001. He was also a technical adviser to the IFAC public sector committee for a period of years.
From 1996 he was also Chairman of the Institute of Public Finance (a wholly owned subsidiary of CIPFA). In this capacity he was responsible for the development and management of the Institute’s international strategy with particular regard to the establishment of certified training programmes in public sector accounting and internal and external audit, in developing and transition economy countries, including Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo.
More recently, he has worked extensively with OECD/SIGMA and completed peer reviews and annual assessments of public financial management in many Balkans and Eastern European countries. He is also the external adviser to the Palestine Ministry of Finance Audit Committee.
Noel Hepworth is a qualified accountant and has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) since 1958. He holds a post graduate diploma in public administration from the University of London. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Hull, by the University of Brighton and by London City University. He is a member of the Royal Society of Arts and was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in 1980.
Application procedure
Application Closing Date: Apr 1,2015
