The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has announced a major policy reversal, confirming it will end all remotely invigilated exams from August 2025. The global professional body, which is part of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, is taking this decisive step to combat a significant rise in online cheating and to safeguard the integrity of its qualifications.
The Decision to Return to Test Centres
CIMA introduced remote exams as a temporary measure during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing candidates to sit tests from home or other locations. However, this convenience has come at a cost. The institute has reported a staggering 1,000% increase in exam misconduct cases since the shift to online assessment. This surge in malpractice has forced a fundamental rethink of how the body maintains its professional standards.
From August 2025, all CIMA objective tests and case study exams will once again be taken at designated Pearson VUE test centres. This marks a complete return to the pre-pandemic model of in-person, proctored examinations. The decision was communicated to members and students in an email from the institute's leadership, which stressed that protecting the value of the CIMA qualification was paramount.
Driving Forces Behind the Policy Shift
The primary catalyst for this change is the alarming volume of cheating detected. CIMA's investigation revealed sophisticated methods of malpractice, including the use of unauthorised materials and third-party assistance during remote exams. The integrity of the exam process, which is foundational to the reputation of the chartered management accountant designation, was deemed to be under threat.
Andrew Harding, chief executive of the management accounting body, was unequivocal in his reasoning. He stated that the move is essential to "ensure the integrity, credibility and fairness of our exams" for all candidates worldwide. The institute concluded that the current remote invigilation technology and processes are insufficient to prevent determined cheating attempts at scale, making a return to controlled environments the only viable solution.
Implications for Students and the Profession
This decision will impact thousands of CIMA students globally who have grown accustomed to the flexibility of remote assessment. While the institute acknowledges this may be an inconvenience, it frames the move as a necessary action to protect the long-term value of the qualification for everyone who holds it. A credential undermined by cheating ultimately devalues the achievement of honest candidates and erodes employer trust.
The move by CIMA places it alongside other professional bodies, like the Chartered Insurance Institute, which have also retreated from remote exams following similar integrity challenges. It raises broader questions for the education and professional certification sectors about the permanent role of high-stakes remote assessments. While digital delivery offers accessibility benefits, this case highlights the critical difficulty of ensuring robust security outside a supervised venue.
CIMA has stated that the traditional test centre model provides a level playing field and a secure environment that is currently unmatched for high-stakes professional exams. The body is prioritising the defence of its professional standards over the convenience of remote testing, setting a clear precedent for how it intends to uphold its global reputation in the years to come.
