Always an innovative and dynamic organisation, in 1928 AIA pushed the boundaries of the accountancy profession and established a global accountancy body, which expanded across the world with British trade. In ourplatinum year, we celebrate the long and prestigious history of AIA, highlighting the respect and status that 90 years' operating as an international accountancy body brings to our organisation and our members.

     In the early twentieth century, AIA was the only international accountancy body providing a professional qualification, that encompassed accountants all over the world, from all backgrounds and all    countries, both developing and developed. AIA aimed to create an organisation that would work on both a national and international scale, which would secure a definite and recognised professional status for accountants. This novel way of thinking was unheard of within the accountancy profession at that time, and despite initial uneasy acceptance, AIA has seen other accountancy bodies following in its footsteps.

      AIA Archive ImageOver the past 90 years AIA has presented accountants all over the globe with the opportunity to achieve a professional qualification and status; offering the same high standards and quality worldwide, whilst being sympathetic to regional needs. AIA was the first UK body to offer local variant papers to overseas students, and the first to offer exams in Islamic accounting and banking.

     AIA still maintains that original innovative thinking and dynamic constitution; whilst advocating accountancy on a global scale. We also recognise the importance of national knowledge and work hard to offer a balance between the two. AIA’s mission in 1928 remains true today, to create world class accountants.