CIMA was founded in 1919 as "The Institute of Cost and Works Accountants" (ICWA). It specialised in the development of accounting techniques for use in the internal control of manufacturing, service and public sector operations. It developed a position as the leading professional body in the areas of product costing, budgeting, management accounting, investment appraisal and business decision making.

The institute changed its name from ICWA to the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (ICMA) in 1972 and subsequently to the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) in 1986, after the granting of a Royal Charter. A global Accounting qualification based in the UK, which is particularly active in Commonwealth countries. Its membership has grown from 15,000 in 1970 to 65,000 in 2005. It has played a role in founding fraternal professional bodies such as the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan,Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India and the Institute of Management Accountants (USA).

LSM Business School offers CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, CIMA Managerial, CIMA Strategic as well as TOPCIMA. You can study your CIMA course as a Full time, Full time (intensive), Part time, Part time (weekend) as well as Modular basis at our central London study centres.