Digital Examinations for the June 2023 Session for the Intermediate and Final Levels

Following the success of the intermediate-level examination trial using the (Moodle) electronic system, which was held in the computer lab of the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, the Board of Directors decided to hold the examinations for all subjects at both the intermediate and final levels at the Society's premises, after taking the necessary measures to ensure the successful conduct of these examinations.

Accordingly, the Information Systems Committee, in coordination with the Society's executive management, carried out a set of measures, the most important of which are listed below:

• Moodle server: A Moodle server was purchased and set up to host and run the examinations platform.
• Database: A robust and stable database was provided for the secure storage of data.
• Network security: The security of the internal network was confirmed to prevent unauthorized access.
• SSL certificate: An SSL certificate was installed to secure users' connections to the site.
• Access-rights configuration: Access permissions for examination authors, markers, and trainee accountants were configured precisely.
• Secure Wi-Fi network: Since the examinations require a wireless connection, a strong and secure Wi-Fi network was ensured, with a capacity far exceeding the number of users at the highest possible density during the examinations.
• Security tests: Security tests were carried out to ensure the platform was protected from cyber threats.
• Power source: UPS devices were provided at various levels to ensure power supply to all sensitive devices on the network, and electrical cables were also run inside the examination halls so as to secure a power source for examinees in case the internal battery of their laptops ran out.
• Examination hall lighting: The lighting system in the examination halls was adjusted, in terms of intensity and distribution, so as to ensure good visibility for the trainee accountants during the examinations.
• Backup devices: KPMG Hazem Hassan office provided a large number of laptops to the Society during the examination period as a precaution, for the trainee accountants to use if their own devices failed for any reason.

The Examinations Committee also carried out several important measures to ensure the smooth running of the electronic examinations, as follows:

• Creating a continuously updated question bank covering all examination subjects for the intermediate and final levels.
• Selecting subject supervisors from among the Board members, to ensure the proper running of the examination-setting task.
• Coordinating with the examination authors to ensure the examinations were consistent with the prescribed curricula.
• Reviewing the examinations after entering them into the Moodle system to ensure the correct entry of the questions.
• Reviewing the difficulty level of the examinations and the number of questions to ensure they were appropriate for the time available for each subject, and that they achieved the purpose of the examination, namely to determine the trainee accountant's degree of mastery of the curricula and their ability to derive solutions to the problems they may face in practical applications.
• Holding a trial examination for the trainee accountants within the Society's premises, so that they could verify the compatibility of their laptops with the internal network, and so that none of them would be taken by surprise by the new system or by how to access the Moodle system during the actual examination.
• Placing a set of trial questions on the Society's website for the trainee accountants registered for the examination, so that they could practice remotely on the different question formats and on how to write answers and how quickly.