Eurasia is the largest continent. Why should we be more modest than ACCA or Others ?

Last Updated on 19.09.2026 by AE

Interview date: 18.08.2014
Vladimir, Chair of the Association of Eurasian Institutes of Certified Public Accountants (EICPA Association) — on global ambitions, a continental standard, and the future of the CPA profession in Eurasia.

— Vladimir, the market for professional financial certifications is dominated by British and American institutions — ACCA, ICAEW, AICPA, CIMA. Why does the world need yet another organization?

The world does not need another copy of a Western institution. But the Eurasian market urgently needs its own professional standard — one built from within the continent, not imported from outside. Consider the geography: Eurasia encompasses more than 55 states and over 3 billion people, and is home to the largest infrastructure initiatives of our time — the EAEU, the SCO, and the Belt & Road Initiative. These are markets with unique regulatory architectures, multi-layered tax systems, and distinct business cultures. Not a single Western institution has designed its programmes with this reality in mind. EICPA Association is the first to do so systematically.

— But ACCA is present in the majority of Eurasian countries. Isn’t that sufficient?

ACCA is a respected institution with a rich history. We do not question its academic value. But let us be precise: ACCA is a British national institution that has exported its product to the global market. When a professional from Tashkent, Almaty, or Baku sits ACCA examinations, they are studying British tax law, British corporate case studies, and a British regulatory context. That is useful — but it is not their market. EI®CPA is built on global standards — IFRS, ISA, and the IESBA Code of Ethics — while being deeply rooted in the Eurasian regulatory and business environment. That is a fundamentally different value proposition.

— You position EICPA Association as a global institution. Is that not too bold a claim for an organization with regional roots?

I would turn that question around. ACCA was founded in London — and calls itself global. AICPA was established in New York — and calls itself global. No one challenges them on that. EICPA Association represents Eurasia — the largest continent on the planet. On what grounds should we limit our ambitions?

Global standing is not a question of where you were founded. It is a question of the standards you apply and the scale of the market you serve. Our standards are global. Our market is continental. Our ambitions are commensurate.

— What is the practical value of the EI®CPA designation for an individual professional?

Consider a CFO of a major industrial group in Kazakhstan — one that is attracting European investors while working with Chinese partners. That professional needs to speak the language of IFRS with investors, while simultaneously understanding local regulations, transfer pricing within the EAEU framework, and national regulatory requirements. EI®CPA is the designation that validates precisely this dual competence: global standards combined with Eurasian expertise.

This is not a regional ceiling — it is a continental advantage, relevant on any market in the world.

— Will a professional holding the EI®CPA designation be able to work outside of Eurasia?

Absolutely — and this is a critically important point. The foundation of EI®CPA is IFRS, ISA, and global ethics. These standards are universal: they are applied in London, Tokyo, Nairobi, and São Paulo alike. Eurasian specialisation is not a geographic limitation — it is an additional layer of expertise. A professional who understands markets from Warsaw to Shanghai, from Istanbul to Almaty, is an asset to any global company operating across this space. And the number of such companies is only growing.

— What is the institutional architecture of EICPA? Who stands behind the organization?

EICPA is an association of national institutes of certified public accountants from across the Eurasian region. We operate as a federation: each national member institute retains its independence while sharing unified standards of qualification, ethics, and continuing professional development. This model is closely aligned with how IFAC operates at the global level — but with a Eurasian focus and the operational agility that large global structures, by their very nature, cannot offer.

— EICPA Association is just beginning its journey. What would you say to those who are skeptical — what if it doesn’t work out?

Allow me to correct the premise of that question: we are not starting from scratch. Behind EICPA Association stands more than 12 years of accumulated expertise, institutional memory, and professional relationships. The founding organizations of the Association have been active in accounting and audit since 1999 — long before EICPA Association took shape as a unified structure. Those were years of real, substantive work: training professionals, engaging with regulators, and participating in international professional dialogue.

We are not building on empty ground — we are adding a new story to a foundation that has already stood the test of time. That is a fundamental distinction from a start-up. EICPA Association represents institutional maturity, reframed within a new architecture.

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Vladimir Zharinov is Chair of the Association of Eurasian Institutes of Certified Public Accountants (EICPA Association). The Association unites national CPA institutes across the Eurasian region, drawing on a professional heritage dating back to 1999, and delivers the continental EI®CPA professional certification programme.