Accounting Research Institute (ARI) of UiTM was first formed in 2002 as a special interest group whereas illustrate a history victorious  history  despite  its  relative  youth.    Since  then,  ARI  had  gone  through  a  complete  evolutionary  cycle  which  includes  of  first being a  special interest group (SIG), then as a research centre and finally as a  research institute. The Ministry of Higher Education formally  approved  the  formation  of  ARI  in  2005.   As  a  research  institute,  ARI  is  responsible  to  coordinate  and  manage  the  activities of its eight multi-discipline research centres  (also known as  units of excellence).   Effective November 2009, ARI has been recognized  by  the  Ministry  of  Higher Education  as  one  of  the  Higher  Institutions'  Centres  of  Excellence  (HICoE).  Today  ARI coordinates  eight  research  centres  that  have  been  co-established  with  various  national  and  international  professional  agencies: CIMA-UiTM Asian Management Accounting Research Centre (AMARC); UiTM-MICG Corporate Governance Research Centre (CGRC); UiTM-ACCA  Financial Reporting Research Centre (FCRC); UiTM-ACFE  Asia-Pacific Forensic Accounting  Research Centre (AFARe);   UiTM-CPA Australia Public Sector  Accounting  Research Centre  (PSARC); UiTM-ACCA  Asia-Pacific Sustainability  Research  Centre (APCeS), Islamic Accounting and Muamalat Research Centre (IAMRC) and  Government-Linked Companies  Research  Centre (GLCRC). As a HICoE, ARI focuses its   current fundamental research in the niche area of forensic accounting and Islamic Financial Criminology.  Nevertheless, ARI's other expertise in the areas of corporate governance, management  accounting,  financial  reporting, public  sector  accounting,  taxation;  auditing  and  accounting  information  system  will continue to be championed by respective research centres and SIGs.  By the end of 2012, ARI aspires to establish strategic alliances with at least five top notch global research centres. Basically, ARI was made up of a team of research fellows and associate fellows that expertise in highly  specialized areas. This has allowed ARI to provide training and consultancy packaged which comes as the highest value. Furthermore, ARI works closely with various government agencies and industry by providing with products and services in order to enhance  practices in good governance. As for today, ARI's research, training and consultancy partnerships span 5 continents including Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa and North America. Throughout a strong partnership and high standard maintained, ARI was recognized by several international organizations’. Recently, ARI has been awarded  with  Global  Islamic  Finance  Award,  ASEAN  Risk  Management  Award  and  Islamic Financial  Criminology  Research  Body of the Year.