Mission, History, Former Patrons, Coat of Arms

CESA - Australia's First Society of Business Education 

The mission of the Society is to provide students with the opportunity to raise their standards of education so that they can take advantage of the opportunities for further education and employment. This is reflected in the Society’s coat-of-arms ‘Digne Ambulate’ — walk worthily.

Until 1910, Australians who wanted an independent assessment of their skills in commercial subjects had to sit for examinations that were set and marked in Great Britain. The papers were sent back for marking to London by sea, and the results were returned to Sydney by sea. That disadvantage was suffered by students in both private business colleges and in the public education system. So a small group of Australian businessmen formed an organisation to provide a local service, the Commercial Education Society of Australia (CESA).

The Society has examined hundreds of thousands of students in Australia, Asia, and the South Pacific. It is open to anybody of scholastic achievement and an interest in commercial & business education. Today, the Society offers independent commercial examinations, professional development programs and fraternity for Australians and people in neighbouring countries involved in commercial education. CESA remains a privately funded, not-for-profit organisation, which continues to encourage discussion and debate about the quality of education and training in Australia, Asia, and the South Pacific.  

The Commercial Education Society of Australia was founded in 1910 and incorporated in 1911 as a non-profit company limited by guarantee. The organisation now known as the Commercial Education Society of Australia was formed in 1910 under the name the Incorporated Phonographic Society of Australia (IPSA). The IPSA was a branch of the Incorporated Phonographic Society (United Kingdom) founded by Sir James Pitman KBE MA FIPS , grandson of Sir Isaac Pitman – the inventor of phonography (Pitman’s Shorthand). 

In 1955 the name of the Society was changed from The Incorporated Phonographic Society of Australia to The Commercial Education Society of Australia (CESA) to reflect the wider needs of candidates and their teachers. The IPS (UK) and CESA are still strongly affiliated to this day. The Society is independent and self-funding. 

In its 110 years it has never been in receipt of any government grants, subsidies or funding. The Society was the first recognized body to offer examinations for vocational education and training (commercial education). It has a tradition of providing low cost educational opportunities without discrimination of any kind. Membership is made up of men and women of all nationalities and backgrounds who support the objectives of the Commercial Education Society of Australia. A grant of arms was received by the Society from the Earl Marshal of England in 1969.

CESA Membership and Examinations are open to anybody of scholastic achievement and an interest in the study of professional practice. This may be achieved by becoming a ‘Member- MCES’ and being promoted to ‘Fellow - FCES’ or taking part in one of our programs, namely: 

· Certificate of Professional Practice (CPP) 

· Advanced Certificate of Professional Practice (ACPP) 

· Associate of CESA (ACES)

· Licentiate of CESA (LCES) and 

· Fellow (by Dissertation) of CESA (FCES)

As a professional society (like the CPA Australia, Trinity College London, Australian Speech Communication Association, and Australian Music Examinations Board, or the former UK College of Preceptors), CESA delivers assessments/examinations and awards certificates and post-nominals to successful candidates. 

Former Patrons

Her Excellency Dame Quentin Bryce,

AD CVO DStJ, BA LLB LLD (hc) (Queensland)

Major General The Hon Philip Michael Jeffrey,

AC AO (Mil) CVO MC KStJ, DTech (hc) (Curtin)

The Right Rev & Hon Peter Hollingworth,

AC OBE, BA LTh (Melbourne) DLitt (Lambeth)

His Excellency Sir William Deane,

AC KBE KVO KC*SG, BA LLB LLD (hc) (Dublin & UTS)

His Excellency The Hon William George Hayden,

AC, BEc LLD (hc) (Queensland)

His Excellency The Right Hon Sir Ninian Stephen,

KG AK GCMG GCVO KBE KStJ, LLB (Melbourne)

His Excellency The Right Hon Sir Zelman Cowan,

AK GCMG KStJ PC QC, BCL DPhil (Oxon)

The Hon Sir John Kerr,

AK GCMG KStJ PC QC, LLB (Hons 1) (Sydney)

Sir Paul Meerna Caedwalla Hasluck,

KG GCMG GCVO PC, BA MA DipJ (UWA)

Baron Casey, Richard Gavin Gardiner Casey,

MC DSO, KG GCMG CH PC KStJ, BEng (Melb) MA (Cantab)

Viscount De L’Isle, William Philip Sydney De’Lisle,

VC, KG GCMG GCVO KStJ PC, MA (Cantab) 

CESA COAT OF ARMS ASSIGNED ON 5 SEPTEMBER 1969

BY

The Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England, His Grace the Most Noble Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, KG GCVO GBE TD PC,

16th Duke of Norfolk, Earl of Arundel & Surrey, Lord Lieutenant of Sussex

on the recommendation of

Sir Anthony Richard Wagner KCVO, Principal King of Arms,

Mr John Riddell Bromhead Walker MRVO MC, Clarenceaux King of Arms,

Mr Richard Preston Graham Vivian MRVO MC, Ulster King of Arms.

Explanation of symbols by P. Brooke-Little MA FSA, Richmond Herald of Arms:

· the chequered field refers to “accountancy” (the old chequer-board of the exchequer).

· the ermine spot is a symbol of the “law” (ermine represents purity).

· the eight pointed star is from the State of New South Wales coat of arms (and represents the many facets of the Commercial Education Society of Australia in education).

· the symbolism of the book refers to “education, knowledge and learning”

· the crest showing the portal with the sun behind it represents “the gateway to success”

· the two columns refer to double column entries: the blue & the red to “credit & debit”

· the supporters are secretary birds, standing upon a sprig of wattle, allude to “Australia”

· the motto is a Latin variant of the tag from Paciolo: “DIGNE AMBULATE” (“walk worthily”) which was chosen by Mr A Peter Forster BEc FCPA FRSA FCES, former Fellow of Warrane College, the University of New South Wales; Fra Luca Bartolomeo de Paciolo (1447 – 1517), born in Borgo Sansepolcro, Tuscany, Republic of Florence,  was an Italian mathematician, Franciscan friar, collaborator with Leonardo da Vinci, and an early contributor to the field now known as accounting. He is referred to as "the Father of Commercial Education in Europe” where he was the first person to publish a work on the double-entry system of book-keeping.

· The CESA Coat of Arms was organised by Mr Gordon A McKenzie. He placed an enormous amount of importance on gaining a real Coat of Arms from the College of Heralds - London, England. McKenzie was proud that the design of the Coat of Arms truly reflected Commercial Education in Australia. Furthermore, we are indebted to McKenzie’s tireless work