The summer of 2008 sees the opening of The Richard Clarke Academy. The academy trains students to become qualified accountants, in ACCA and CIMA. It also trains qualified accountants in their Continuing Professional Development.

It is, however, an academy with a difference. Its methods and techniques are all based on the latest scientific research into how the brain works, study skills and memory boosters.

Some changes are obvious. The original use of email, internet, podcasts, etc, are all interwoven with the traditional teaching methods. Some changes are more subtle, such as recaps placed strategically throughout the course, contemplation periods, shorter lecture times, material specifically chosen to be taught at certain times of the day and a bright, fresh design throughout.

The latter point is important. The facilities are also five-star luxury. This is because of the huge impact happiness and motivation have on exam results. Recent research suggests that a change in outlook alone can improve results by up to 40 per cent!

Richard Clarke himself has been researching neurology for the last 10 years and has already been incorporating these techniques into his own teaching and the results have been astonishing. He is a former international training director for BPP, based in London.

This was the largest accountancy training provider in Europe.

Richard was the highest-rated tutor at their head office in London when he left. So he knows the methods work and now wants to take it to the rest of the world. And it all starts here in Malta, with six more offices planned for the coming year.

Stop press: In line with the innovative course structures, the academy will now be the first college on the island to offer computer-based exams for the first three papers F1, F2 and F3.

The beauty of this is that students do not have to wait until June and December to take their exams – we will offer exam dates throughout the year, but also students will receive their result immediately. Also if they fail, they can re-sit the session straight away!

This has an added advantage of allowing students to pass through the ACCA qualification more rapidly. For example they could take the F1-F3 in August with computer-based exams and still have time to do F4-F6 in December.

The Richard Clarke Academy will, of course, tailor the courses to suit the slightly different demands of the CBE.

For more information contact richard@richardclarkeacade

my.com or visit www.

richardclarkeacademy.com