A3. IPD continues until aspiring professional accountants can demonstrate the professional
competence required for their chosen roles in the accountancy profession. Internationally, there are
significant legal and regulatory differences that determine the point of qualification (or licensing) of
professional accountants. Each IFAC member body may define the appropriate relationship
between the end of IPD and the point of qualification (or licensing) for its members.
A4. Professional competence can be described and categorized in many different ways. Within the
IESs, professional competence is the ability to perform a role to a defined standard. Professional
competence goes beyond knowledge of principles, standards, concepts, facts, and procedures; it is
the integration and application of (a) technical competence, (b) professional skills, and (c)
professional values, ethics, and attitudes.