Ten years ago, Ulm University was the first university in Germany to start the successful project "13b-Bachelor". This programme enables future economists to collect credits that can be counted toward the auditing exam at the same time that they are pursuing a bachelor's degree. On Friday, 6 October, Ulm University and the Ulm Forum for Economics (UFW) celebrated the 10th anniversary of this supplemental qualification. The celebration included practical lectures, a podium discussion and an insightful presentation by one of the first 13b graduates.

Qualified auditors are high in demand, but the exam, which is often tackled in addition to fulltime employment, presents an insurmountable hurdle for many candidates. According to paragraph 13b of the Auditors Act, bachelor students are permitted to submit proof of achievements in the areas of business administration, economics and business law as early as in their fourth semester. Sylvia Kling, today an auditor with Ernst & Young in Stuttgart, was one of the first to pursue this path. "With additional lectures every semester and block seminars during the breaks, the 13b bachelor's programme is pretty time intensive", Kling recalls. "However, the effort is worthwhile: the university exams are equivalent to the regular exam, but they are written individually, in addition to regular coursework, not at once in block format". Sylvia King was also successful in having 13b accomplishments accredited to her master's degree at Ulm University, shortening her programme to one year.

In order to complete the rest of the exams, candidates are required to submit proof of three years of professional experience. Upon completion of her master's degree, Sylvia Kling thus joined Ernst & Young, a renowned auditing company. "The 13b bachelor's degree was very well received by my superiors. Graduates of this programme have a reputation not only for being very interested in the auditing exam. The success rate with the exam is also high, due to the fact that we don't have to write all the individual sections while we are pursuing a career", explains Kling. 30-year-old Kling is today a certified auditor and highly recommends the 13b bachelor's programme.