Observations from a Professor serving as Dean

Drawing on his experience as an accounting professor serving as dean of a business school, Douglas A.Shackelford gives advice for accounting academics interested in academic leadership positions. He observes that accounting professors have a competitive advantage in academic administration due to being naturally comfortable with financial information and budgeting.

The common denominator: Excel

Despite the variety of software tools available nowadays, being able to use Excel is still a critical, foundational skill for accounting and finance graduates. The authors present results from their survey asking accounting and business professionals to indicate the relative importance of 24 different Excel skills. They discuss the implications for accounting educators and highlight resources for academics integrating Excel into the accounting curriculum.

Today's graduates and the pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has shaped and impacted a new class of US accounting graduates in significant and lasting ways. The authors - three accounting professors and an administrator - contemplate the challenges of the pandemic for accounting students, and how the experience enhanced students' personal traits and skills.

Accounting curricula in the digital age

Accounting programs need to ensure that students are equipped with digital capabilities that will prepare them for leadership roles in the profession. The article looks at the case for including Excel, financial modelling, process automation and data analytics and visualization in an academic accounting curriculum.

Integrating sustainability into the accounting curriculum: Meeting an emerging student demand

As the prevalence of sustainability reporting has increased, the profession will need accounting graduates well versed in sustainability accounting. The authors look at attempts so far to integrate sustainability into the business and accounting curriculum. They present the results from their survey of 164 students at three US universities, which asked questions gauging student demand for education in sustainability accounting.

Act or be acted upon: Revolutionizing accounting curriculums with data analytics

The authors propose a new, revolutionized curriculum for accounting students, focusing on using data analytics and incorporating the use of real-world data. Accountants should be expected to use their judgement and business acumen to provide context as well as technological adeptness to analyze data.

How to publish in peer-reviewed practitioner accounting journals

Advice for accounting academics on publishing research in practitioner accounting journals, including finding relevant topics and using a suitable writing style. The authors provide examples of five potential types of articles for practitioner accounting journals: small literature reviews, empirical papers, thought pieces, skills papers and current topic updates.

Integrating cryptocurrency into intermediate financial accounting curriculum: A case study

Academics from California State University share their experiences in introducing cryptocurrencies to undergraduate financial accounting students. Students were given a cryptocurrency assignment to complete, followed and by a survey assessing how useful they found the assignment.

Leaping from the office to academia

Insights on transitioning from accounting professional practice to an academic career. The author suggests ten steps to follow in order to make the leap to the education sector.

Self-reflective insights on what I have learned in an evolving academic career model: accounting scholarship, administration, and diversity

Accounting academic Carolyn M.Callahan discusses diversity within accounting education and considers the factors behind her success as a Professor of Accountancy. She argues that now is the time to push the accounting research frontier forward.