The University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) has established a strategic partnership with Korea Accounting and Information School (KAIS), Korea’s leading institution for U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam preparation. Signed on June 19, 2025, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlines a comprehensive collaboration aimed at strengthening accounting education and expanding professional pathways for UAC students.

A Pioneering Collaboration in Accounting Education

This new partnership connects UAC business students with KAIS, a long-standing institution that has played a key role in shaping Korea’s CPA education landscape. Founded in 1995, KAIS was the first provider of U.S. CPA preparation courses in Korea and the first to receive official recognition from Korea’s Ministry of Education. Over the past three decades, KAIS has successfully prepared approximately 30,000 professionals for CPA certification.

At the signing ceremony, Gregory Hill, Chief Administrative Officer of UAC, acknowledged KAIS’s contributions:

We are deeply impressed by your introduction of the first U.S. CPA preparation program in Korea and your continued excellence over the past 30 years. Your entrepreneurial spirit reminds us of business pioneers like Rockefeller, combining accounting expertise with strong leadership.”

Comprehensive Support for UAC Students

The MOU outlines five core areas of cooperation designed to directly support UAC accounting students:

• Enhanced academic and advisory support for students preparing for the U.S. CPA exam

• Career path guidance tailored to both U.S. and Korean accounting markets

• Timely updates on CPA exam requirements and industry trends

• Joint development of accounting-focused educational initiatives

• Career placement support and professional mentorship opportunities

President Chang-ho Choi of KAIS highlighted the partnership’s shared value:

Supporting University of Utah students at the Asia Campus represents a direct path toward mutual success. We look forward to being catalysts for each other’s continued growth.”

Advancing Academic Excellence and Career Readiness

This partnership aligns with UAC’s momentum in expanding and elevating its accounting program. As part of the David Eccles School of Business, UAC offers a distinct accounting major through its School of Accounting—setting it apart within the Incheon Global Campus, where most institutions offer accounting only as part of broader business administration programs.

More than a conventional academic agreement, the partnership provides UAC students with prioritized access to KAIS’s expert support system—from exam preparation to long-term career development. Hill emphasized the long-term impact:

We expect this partnership to significantly strengthen our students’ professional journeys. As our accounting program continues to grow, this collaboration will be a powerful catalyst for further development.”

This partnership marks a meaningful step in aligning UAC’s academic strengths with industry-leading expertise—empowering students to thrive as global accounting professionals in an increasingly interconnected world.