A student at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Athlone Campus, has secured first place in the prestigious 2024 National Accounting Competition, in association with Quitch and CPA Ireland.
Chenlu Lin, a third-year student pursuing a BA (Hons) in Accounting with Finance, has not only claimed victory for herself but has also propelled TUS to its third consecutive win in the national competition.
This impressive feat marks the second triumph for Chenlu, having also won first place last year, and solidifies TUS Athlone’s position as a dominant force in accounting education.
In recognition of this achievement, TUS received a prize of €500 for being the winning university, while Chenlu was awarded €1,000 for her outstanding performance.
Eamonn Siggins, CPA Ireland CEO, extended his congratulations, highlighting Chenlu’s dedication and hard work in securing victory for TUS Athlone for the third year running.
“Well done to Chenlu on her hard work and achievement. We hope you enjoyed the competition, and we hope to see you continue on to a successful career in accounting in the future! For a TUS Athlone accounting student to secure victory for the third consecutive year is a wonderful achievement and speaks to the quality of the accounting programme.”
The competition, which attracted participants from universities across Ireland and Northern Ireland, featured weekly accounting challenges delivered through the Quitch app.
Participants were evaluated based on the accuracy and timeliness of their responses, with points allocated accordingly.
In praise of Chenlu’s accomplishment, Bernard Tao Cui, Head of the Department of Accounting and Business Computing, said, “Chenlu’s dedication, strategic thinking, and unwavering perseverance have once more elevated us to the top, demonstrating the exceptional accounting talent cultivated at TUS Athlone.”
Acting Dean of Faculty, Business and Hospitality, Dr Michael Tobin also congratulated the TUS lecturing team for their outstanding achievement and unwavering dedication to excellence in the field of accounting.
“Securing victory in this national competition for three consecutive years speaks volumes about the calibre of our accounting offering and the exceptional dedication of our academic team, who are deeply committed to providing students with the knowledge, real-world experience, and technical skills essential for starting their careers on the right foot,” he said.
“Academic staff work hand in hand with professional bodies, like CPA, to ensure the highest professional standards are met while empowering our students with in-demand knowledge and skills.”
Chenlu said, “Thanks CPA Ireland and Quitch for giving me this opportunity. I am also very grateful to all the TUS lecturers for their help and knowledge. The competition was more intense than the previous year, but with the mentality of doing the best as long as you do it, I persisted. I want to tell everyone that having a goal and working hard to take action can get you what you want.”
TUS Athlone’s BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance is a QS 5 Star-rated “Excellent” programme. The QS university rating system is considered one of the most influential and credible ratings for universities globally.
Second and third place in the competition were awarded to Brian Gervin from Ulster University Business School and Lia Wallace from South East Technological University, respectively.