The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2026 edition of the Handbook of International Education Standards. This new edition compiles the full suite of International Education Standards (IES) 1–8, along with the supporting Framework and Glossary, and incorporates all recently revised and updated standards.
The 2026 Handbook is organized to support the consistent adoption and implementation of the IESs, which establish the principles, concepts, and requirements that underpin high-quality accountancy education worldwide.
This edition includes:
The Framework for International Education Standards, which outlines the foundational concepts for developing and maintaining professional competence.
A Glossary of Terms, providing essential definitions used across the standards.
IESs 1–6, addressing entry requirements to professional accounting education programs and the initial professional development of aspiring professional accountants.
IES 7, Continuing Professional Development, establishing requirements for lifelong learning for all professional accountants.
IES 8, Professional Competence for Engagement Partners, which outlines the competence demands for engagement partners responsible for audits of financial statements.
Revisions to IES 2, 3, 4 and 6 aimed at strengthening global consistency in formal assessment and supporting emerging skills needs in areas including ethics and sustainability.
This Handbook includes revised standards that become effective on July 1, 2026 and replaces the 2019 edition.
About IFAC IFAC, by connecting and uniting its members, makes the accountancy profession truly global.
IFAC member organizations are champions of integrity and professional quality, and proudly carry their membership as a badge of international recognition.
IFAC and its members work together to shape the future of the profession through learning, innovation, a collective voice, and commitment to the public interest.
Updated Edition Includes All Recent Revisions; Available for Digital Access and Print Orders
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has developed an approach for maintaining its auditing standard for smaller and less complex entities, known as the International Standard on Auditing for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities (the ISA for LCE).
The approach is detailed in an Approach Statement that promotes transparency and execution consistency. It establishes a mechanism for updating the ISA for LCE that emphasizes that revisions to the ISA for LCE should be:
Relevant in the context of the typical nature and circumstances of an audit of a less complex entity; and
Aligned, in a proportionate manner, with the core requirements and concepts of the International Standards on Auditing.
The Approach Statement sets out the context, purpose, process, responsibilities, outputs, and timing for maintaining the ISA for LCE. It also describes the steps the IAASB will follow when developing revisions to the ISA for LCE in response to new or revised auditing standards.
This paper explains at a high level the linkages, as well as the key differences, between the IESBA Firm Culture and Governance (FCG) viewpoints (IESBA viewpoints) accepted by the Board at its December 2025 meeting and ISQM 1.[It demonstrates the mutually supportive nature of the IESBA viewpoints and ISQM 1 while recognizing the distinctions in their objective
This briefing note outlines key viewpoints on firm culture & governance as part of its ongoing project to promote high ethical standards in accounting firms worldwide. It introduces eight foundational elements, designed to guide firms in building and sustaining a strong ethical culture.
In her New Year message, IESBA Chair Gabriela Figueiredo Dias affirms the Board's commitment to supporting stakeholders in navigating uncertainty. Robust ethical baselines and principles are even more important in these times.
In her message, Ms. Dias highlights the IESBA’s commitment to supporting its stakeholders in upholding trust and the public interest, and looks ahead to the work the IESBA is carrying forward, including continued engagement on Firm Culture and Governance, the rollout of the SMART framework to strengthen how the IESBA supports its stakeholders and delivers more value, and a sustained focus on the adoption and implementation of recently issued standards.
