The Winter Term offered several faculty members the chance to share, collaborate, and learn from other leaders in the field of accountancy education.
International Accounting and Accounting Information Systems
Tim Eaton and James Zhang attended the 2023 Joint Midyear Meeting of the AIS, SET, and International Sections of the American Accounting Association held in Las Vegas, NV.
Professor Eaton was invited to speak as a panelist on how to best develop instructional cases, integrate them in the classroom, and publish cases for other universities to utilize. He shared multiple cases that he has developed and used at Miami.
Professor Zhang attended sessions on the use of AI and blockchain to handle cyber risks; specifically, using the cyber-risk model from a supply-chain point of view, from the vendor to the company and to customers. With more significant cyber attack threats, companies need to monitor the cyber risks of their customers as well as vendors.
The conference also included a section on the applications of data analytics in the gambling industry. Examples include predictive analytics for customer coupon emails and techniques to encourage responsible gambling (e.g., setting limits or blocking bids).
ESG and Sustainability
In February 2023, Anne Farrell and Qing Burke attended the Sustainability, ESG and Accounting Conference organized by the American Accounting Association.
During the conference, practitioners (including a former FASB chair; partners and managers from the Big 4 firms, and executives from Mars, Salesforce, Marriott, and Edison Electric) discussed the importance of ESG and sustainability issues for businesses and the accounting profession, how they impact financial statements, and the critical role of accounting in creating a sustainable economy. Recent accounting graduates who work in ESG audit/consulting shared their working experiences and insights on how accountants can leverage their skill sets to succeed in these areas.
A diverse array of faculty from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Kuwait, and Singapore shared best practices in integrating sustainability and EG into the accounting curriculum, as well as instructional cases that can be used in the classroom. The participants generously shared resources such as syllabi and other course materials with the attendees.
New Faculty Consortium
Anne Farrell also attended the AAA New Faculty Consortium in Leesburg, Virginia, held in February. The event was kicked off by a presentation from Jim Wahlen of Indiana University, called “Envisioning Your Successful and Satisfying Career in Accounting Academic,” followed by a panel session and Q&A that included Professor Farrell, Helen Brown-Liburd of Rutgers, and Nathan Goldman of North Carolina State University, called “Planning an Academic Career: Paths, Challenges and Balance.”
The Consortium is sponsored by EY and included about 100 faculty who just began their first tenure-track position at a U.S. AACSB business-accredited school and about 25 experienced faculty mentors who did presentations, panel sessions, and small-group breakouts.