My SBR and AFM student, YUMING ZHAO said, (who has scored 70 in the Sept24 ACCA Strategic Business Reporting Exam!)

'When I was studying Steve’s ACCA SBR course, his approach really felt refreshing. He starts by summarizing the IFRS standards using the SBR perspective, which is quite different from the way he taught FR.

In SBR, the focus is more on applying the knowledge to real-world client cases, which requires a mindset shift. Steve often reminds us that we’re not just students anymore—we’re consultants. That’s because after learning SBR, one promising career path is to become an IFRS trainer. So, we need to think from a trainer’s perspective.

At the same time, when studying SBR, I also try to see things from a standard setter's point of view. I think about how I can use SBR’s IFRS to add value for investors and creditors. These two mindsets—consultant and standard setter—form a solid foundation for learning SBR because I no longer see the content as just theoretical knowledge. My focus is on how to apply it in real-life scenarios.  Another key aspect is exam technique.

For SBR questions, if the requirement is worth more than five marks, it's good practice to break your answer into three parts: first, explain the IFRS knowledge; second, show how it applies to the case; and third, draw a conclusion. In the conclusion, if you’re stuck, think about how the accounting treatment affects company ratios and ensure you’re quoting the relevant Conceptual Framework requirements.  In short, shifting your mindset and refining your exam technique are crucial to mastering SBR.'

Our CPD course is listed on ACCA's Global Website

APC's Course Director Steve Chen was invited by ACCA in 2019, to train ACCA members at ACCA's UK head office about IFRS 16 Leases.

The course is recognised by ACCA as the CPD (Continuous Professional Development) course which is available to all ACCA members.