The competition is conducted by the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), in partnership with one of the big Four accounting firms EY.
For quality control purposes, students must have first submitted their thesis/dissertations to their respective universities. Each tertiary institution is then invited to submit their top three thesis/dissertation in each degree (where applicable) to be entered in this year’s competition.
“The candidates should have successfully completed their relevant degree. It is however not a requirement that they should have graduated as we are aware that graduations could be taking place later in the year,” says SAIPA tax specialist Sibusiso Thungo.
The 2017 Tax Thesis competition is aimed at promoting good research in tax and rewarding those candidates whose thesis/dissertation has been selected through the adjudication process as the “best” in their degree level. The competition is open to all universities and the thesis could be in full or part fulfilment of a degree in taxation.
“All thesis/dissertations that have been submitted for the competition will be marked by a panel of tax experts in line with an agreed rubric. Each paper will be marked by at least two independent markers and further independently moderated,” Thungo explains, adding that there will be one winner in each of the degree levels i.e. Honours; Masters and Doctoral.
The winners will be awarded prizes at the SAIPA 35-year Celebration Conference to be held in Cape Town on 19 October 2017. For more info visit www.saipa.co.za/
