Assessing whether aspiring professional accountants achieve an appropriate level of professional competence serves several purposes. First, the public interest is protected, and the credibility of the profession is enhanced, when only those who meet the profession’s competence requirements are permitted to be professional accountants. Second, IFAC member bodies and regulatory authorities have a responsibility to ensure that professional accountants have the competence expected of them by the public, employers, and clients. Third, professional accountants have a continuing duty to maintain professional competence to ensure that clients, employers, and relevant stakeholders receive competent professional service