Arslan Hojanazarov, a student at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, has been named one of the twelve winners of the 2026 Charles Scott Award, which is presented annually by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).

The award recognizes students’ outstanding academic achievements and potential in the field of accountancy. Each of the partner universities in Scotland independently selects one student who has achieved the best results on the course, based on its own selection criteria.

Award winners receive official recognition from ICAS at an early stage in their careers, the opportunity to engage with an internationally recognized organization in the field of accountancy, mentoring from industry experts, exposure on ICAS platforms, and a cash prize of 150 pounds sterling to support their studies.

ICAS Executive Director for Learning, Kat Devani, noted that close collaboration with partner universities plays an important role in training future chartered accountants, and emphasised that the award is one way of recognising the profession’s future leaders.

In addition to Arslan Khodzhanazarov, the list of 2026 award winners includes students from Abertay University, Edinburgh Napier University, Glasgow Caledonian University, Robert Gordon University, the University of Edinburgh, and the universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Stirling, Strathclyde and the University of the West of Scotland.

This year’s winners were invited to ICAS’s headquarters — CA House in Edinburgh — where they learnt about the profession of chartered accountant, the opportunities offered by ICAS qualification, and began to build connections within the professional community.

The award is named after Charles Alexander Scott (1902–1993) and was established to recognise academic achievement and support future professionals in the sector.