Applying IFRS: Certificate Training Course in International Financial Reporting Standards
1Summary
Financial statements only earn the trust of investors, regulators, and lenders when they follow one common language — and for most of the world's capital markets, that language is IFRS. Professionals who can apply these standards accurately, not just recite them, are the ones organisations turn to when a merger closes, a tax note needs re-checking, or a group of subsidiaries has to be consolidated into a single set of accounts.
This Certificate Training Course, delivered by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, builds that practical command of IFRS from the ground up. Attendees work through the standards that govern income recognition, taxation, financial instruments, and business combinations, and learn how each one changes the numbers that appear on a real balance sheet.
By the end of the programme, participants will be equipped not only to interpret IFRS-compliant statements with confidence, but to defend the judgement calls behind them — a skill that sits at the centre of any professional IFRS certification.
2Objectives and target group
- Apply IFRS principles to real financial statements rather than memorising definitions.
- Distinguish IFRS treatment from local accounting standards on income, tax, and equity items.
- Recognise components of comprehensive income and account correctly for current and deferred tax.
- Classify financial instruments under IFRS 9 and apply the business model and cash flow tests.
- Consolidate group accounts under IFRS 10 and apply the equity method under IAS 28.
- Account for business combinations, goodwill, and non-controlling interests under IFRS 3.
- Stay current with the latest IFRS amendments and prepare for professional IFRS certification.
Target Audience
- Accountants, auditors, and financial controllers who prepare or review IFRS statements.
- Tax advisors and financial analysts working across jurisdictions.
- Business owners expanding operations internationally.
- Anyone pursuing a professional qualification in IFRS.
3Course Content
Module 1: Why IFRS Matters — Framework, Statements, and Classification
- Why a single global reporting language matters for comparability
- Brief history and development of IFRS
- The complete set of financial statements
- Classification of assets and liabilities
- Components and classification of stockholders' equity
Module 2: Comprehensive Income and Income Tax Recognition (IAS 12)
- Total Comprehensive Income (TCI) and components of Other Comprehensive Income (OCI)
- Recognition and measurement of current tax
- Recognition and measurement of deferred tax
- Recognition in profit and loss, and deferred tax asset or liability
- Presentation and disclosure requirements
Module 3: Classifying and Measuring Financial Instruments (IFRS 9)
- Classification of financial assets under IFRS 9
- Business model and cash flow test
- Amortized cost, Fair Value through Profit and Loss (FVTPL), and Fair Value through OCI
- Impairment of financial assets
Module 4: Presenting and Disclosing Financial Instruments (IAS 32 & IFRS 7)
- Presentation of financial instruments under IAS 32
- Disclosure requirements under IFRS 7
Module 5: Group Accounting — Consolidation, Joint Arrangements and Associates
- Definition of power and control, and identification of a subsidiary (IFRS 10)
- Consolidation procedures: intercompany transactions, Non-Controlling Interests (NCI), loss of control
- Types of joint arrangements: joint operations versus joint ventures (IFRS 11)
- Identification of associates, significant influence, and the equity method (IAS 28)
- Impairment of investments accounted for under the equity method
Module 6: Business Combinations and Goodwill (IFRS 3)
- Determining fair value and the acquisition method
- Steps in the accounting process for business combinations
- Goodwill and gain from a bargain purchase
- Two options to measure non-controlling interests
- Impairment of goodwill