Universiti Kuala Lumpur Business School (UniKL BIS) and Cheers Education Sdn. Bhd. have formalised a strategic partnership through the exchange of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA).
The partnership marks a significant milestone in strengthening industry-academia collaboration to produce future-ready accounting professionals equipped with digital competencies and practical industry experience.
The MoA Exchange Ceremony was officiated by YBhg. Prof. Ir. Dr. Azmi Hassan, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) of UniKL. Cheers Education Sdn. Bhd. was represented by its Director, YBhg. Mr. Chia Kok Haur.
The ceremony was attended by members of UniKL’s senior management, academic staff, industry representatives, and invited guests, reflecting the shared commitment of both organisations towards advancing talent development through strategic collaboration.
The partnership is established under the CHEERS Student Success Pathway (CSSP) and underscores the mutual aspiration of UniKL Business School and Cheers Education to transform accounting education through technology-enabled and industry-integrated learning.
Under this collaboration, industry-standard audit software will be embedded into the accounting curriculum, providing students with practical exposure to AI-powered auditing technologies, financial reporting, data analytics, and contemporary audit practices.
This initiative bridges the gap between academic learning and professional practice while reinforcing UniKL Business School’s commitment to producing graduates who are digitally competent, adaptable, and industry-ready.
In his keynote address, Prof. Ir. Dr. Azmi emphasised that the collaboration aligns with UniKL’s strategic aspiration of delivering industry-driven education through experiential learning, innovation, and strong institutional partnerships.
He highlighted that the initiative complements UniKL’s Teaching Factory approach by enabling students to engage with real-world auditing technologies, industry best practices, and digital tools that are increasingly essential in today’s accounting profession.
Beyond enhancing teaching and learning, the collaboration also offers significant professional development opportunities for academic staff, who will be eligible to become Accredited Trainers capable of delivering specialised audit and accounting programmes.
Students will further benefit from the opportunity to undertake the Cheers Certified Associates (CCA) programme through the CHEERS Audit Simulation Course, where they will gain hands-on audit simulation experience, earn industry-recognised professional certification, and access job-matching services designed to enhance their employability in both local and international markets.
The partnership is expected to enrich curriculum delivery through the integration of current industry technologies and professional practices while strengthening academic quality, continuous curriculum enhancement, and industry engagement.
It also reinforces Outcome-Based Education (OBE) by enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge in authentic, technology-enabled learning environments that cultivate analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, digital literacy, and professional competencies required by the evolving accounting profession.
