IAFA Conference and Doctoral Colloquium 2022

IAFA 2021 – Conference Keynote Speaker Announced

Main Conference Keynote speaker: 

John Burns (Professor of Management & Accountancy)

John has been faculty member at the University of Exeter Business School since 2010, during which he has served as head of the Accounting department. Previously, from 2004 to 2010, he was the inaugural Dean of Accounting and Finance (now School of Business) at the University of Dundee. John’s career also includes a year spent at the University of Colorado-Denver (USA), while the bulk of his early days in academia were as Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester. He has also been Visiting Professor at WHU (Germany), UCD (Ireland), Orebro (Sweden), NTNU (Norway), Vaasa (Finland) and MDH (Sweden).

All of John’s research is qualitative, usually comprising theoretically informed case studies. Broadly, he is interested in the use and consequences of accounting, accounts and accountability in organisations and society. Research in the earlier stages of his career would embrace the theme of ‘management accounting change’, and utilise particularly ‘old’ institutional economics theory. More recent publications, and work-in-progress, however, give closer attention to issues of accounting, accounts and accountability in specific fields, or relating to specific themes. For instance, recent academic and profession-oriented outputs have included a focus on accounting for homelessness, accountability in hospitals, alternative natural capital accounts in forestry, and accounting for popular culture.

At IAFA (2021), John will present “Further thoughts on accounting as beyond technical, instrumental activity”, early-stage consideration of the inter-connection(s) between accounting, accounts and accountability, and the importance of underpinning values.

Colloquium Speakers:

Professor Chris Humphrey’s

Christopher Humphrey is Professor of Accounting at Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester. Chris’ current research interests are primarily concerned with the societal purposefulness of auditing, which recently saw him act as an academic advisor to the 2019 independent Brydon review on the quality and effectiveness of auditing in the UK.  Chris has had a longstanding interest in the development of international auditing standards and regulation and the role and public interest commitments of the accounting profession in what has come to be known as the new international financial architecture.  He has consistently approached his research with an interdisciplinary and international outlook, underpinned by a vivid emphasis on qualitative research methods and a desire to develop and enhance socially informed theories of accounting and auditing.  His research has explored practice in both public and private sector contexts and given strong respect to learning from history and from differences in practice traditions.  He has also actively analysed the changing nature of the academic accounting environment in universities, including the questionable impact of formal research assessment schemes and shifts in financing arrangements within Universities.  He has made considerable efforts to explore the day-to-day (or ‘behind the scenes’) realities of conducting qualitative accounting research and has always committed to teaching his students (at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels) in ways that are directly informed by, and engage with, important accounting research issues – with the intent of getting students to ‘think differently’ and to engage with public policy.  For example, he currently runs final year undergraduate project and MSc dissertation courses centred around the question of ‘modern day accounting and auditing: Is this as good as it gets?’.   In 2015, Chris received the Distinguished Academic Award made annually by the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) and in 2016 was made a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.  Throughout his career, Chris has maintained a close connection with the practice side of the profession and its connections with academia.  He is a former Director of the Chartered Accountants’ Trustees Ltd and a former chair of the UK’s Conference of Professors of Accounting and Finance (CPAF).  He also served for several years as a co-opted member of the ICAEW’s Governing Council and its Technical Strategy Board.  He continues to sit on the ICAEW’s Auditing and Assurance Faculty Board.      

Professor Giovanna Michelon

Giovanna Michelon is Professor of Accounting at the University of Bristol. Broadly speaking her research interests are in the field of sustainability accounting and reporting, while her published work has focused on the governance process and systems that underpin corporate actions and accountability on sustainability issues, as well as on the role that sustainability information plays in capital markets. Giovanna has more than 40 publications in leading academic journals such as, among others, the Accounting, Organizations and SocietyEuropean Accounting Review, Accounting Auditing and Accountability Journal, and Journal of Business Ethics. Highly engaged with both the academic community and practitioners, she is currently Editor of Accounting Forum, where she advocates and promotes the diversity of interests and epistemologies in accounting research. She is also Chair of the European Accounting Association (EAA) Virtual Activities Committee, and a member of the EAA Management Committee and EAA Publications Committee. She is also a Council member of the Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research (University of St. Andrews) and Chair of the ACCA Global Forum for Governance, Risk and Performance where she helps setting the research agenda of this professional body in the fields of corporate governance and risk management.

Notice of IAFA Doctoral Colloquium and Annual Conference 2021

The IAFA Doctoral Colloquium and 33rd Annual Conference will be hosted by the Munster Technological University (formerly Cork Institute of Technology) from 12th to 14th May 2021. Both events will be held online.  The Doctoral Colloquium will take place on Wednesday 12th May and the Annual Conference on Thursday 13th May and Friday 14th May.  Detailed schedules will be issued nearer to the date.

Annual Conference
The deadline for completed papers/abstracts is 19th March 2021. Empirical, theoretical and review papers are welcomed in all areas of accounting, finance, taxation and governance. Papers should be submitted by email to IAFA2021@cit.ie. Decisions on acceptances of papers will be communicated by 15th April 2021.  Accepted papers will only be included on the conference schedule where registration and payment has been received from at least one author by 29th April 2021 (see www.iafa.ie for further details).

Doctoral Colloquium
This event will provide students, at all stages of doctoral research, with an opportunity to present their work and receive feedback from academics in their field.  An application form for the Doctoral Colloquium will be available on the IAFA website and must be submitted no later than 19th March 2021. Note that students attending the Doctoral Colloquium can register for the conference for a reduced fee (more information will be available on the IAFA website).

The Masters/Doctoral Research Funding Competition, which awards prizes to doctoral students presenting work at the colloquium, invites applicants to apply using the relevant section of the application form available on the IAFA website. This competition is open to all registered IAFA members who are undertaking research towards a Masters or Doctoral qualification. The research must contribute to the aims of IAFA. A prize fund of up to €5,000 is available in 2021. Applicants must indicate that they wish to be considered for the funding competition on the relevant section of the application form for the Doctoral Colloquium.

Doctoral students may also apply for the EAA PhD Forum Scholarship using the relevant section of the application form.  On an annual basis, up to three doctoral students will be selected to attend the EAA PhD Forum of the year following (i.e. selected by IAFA typically in May and attending the EAA PhD Forum the May of the following year). The application form provides further details of this award.

As mentioned above, application forms must be submitted no later than 19th March 2021. Applicants for the Masters/Doctoral Research Funding Competition and the EAA PhD Forum Scholarship must attend and present at the IAFA Annual Doctoral Colloquium event, where the result will be decided, and the successful applicant must present how they used and benefited from the award/scholarship at the following year’s IAFA Doctoral Colloquium (2022). The decision of the judges is final.

Link to application form – IAFA Doctoral Colloquium Application Form 2021

Please direct all queries to one of the following:
Dr. Ruth Vance Lee or Ms. Sylvia Dempsey, Department of Accounting and Information Systems,
Munster Technological University, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, Cork.
Email: IAFA2021@cit.ie in the first instance or ruth.vance@cit.ie /  sylvia.dempsey@cit.ie

December 2018 – IAFA Winter Seminar

The Discipline of Accounting and Finance within the Cairnes School of Business and Economics, NUI Galway hosted the IAFA Winter Seminar in December 2018. The speaker was Professor Teemu Malmi, Professor of Accounting at Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland. The title of Professor Malmi’s presentation was ‘Positioning Studies for Theoretical Contributions – Experiences Shared’. This proved to be an interesting and thought provoking topic. Following lunch, a number of doctoral students presented their work to Professor Malmi. All who presented received useful feedback and guidance. The winter seminar provided a  welcome opportunity for IAFA members to re-connect with colleagues.

IAFA represented at recent AAA Global Gathering of Accounting Leaders

Dr. Elaine Doyle attended the Global Gathering of accounting leaders on behalf of IAFA in August 2019.  The Global Gathering was hosted by the American Accounting Association and involved the Chairs of numerous national academic accounting associations gathering to discuss the issues pertinent to their respective associations  The discussions included supporting PhD students and early career researchers, international activities and connections, cross coordinating and publicising national and international events, encouraging inclusiveness of the scholarly accounting community, access to shared resources and networking, among other issues.  The nature and activities of IAFA were showcased to all the other international attendees during a very positive and collegiate gathering.

IAFA 2019 Doctoral Colloquium

The Doctoral Colloquium took place on Wednesday 15th May and ran for the entire day.   It was declared open by Prof. Barbara Flood, Professor of Accounting at DCUBS and Deputy Dean. Then, Professor Anne Jeny, Professor at the  Accounting and Management Control Department,  ESSEC Business School, France spoke about proposed cooperation between the IAFA and the EAA in relation to the EAA Ph.d Forum.  This was followed by the Plenary address by Prof. Ian Thomson, Director, Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business, Convenor Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham whose title was : “Before Theory comes Theorising: Making Accounting and Finance Research Interesting”

The Doctoral Colloquium provided an opportunity for both current and prospective PhD students to learn more about the PhD process and generate ideas for research topics. Current PhD students, at all stages of doctoral research, were provided with an opportunity to present their work and receive feedback from experienced researchers.

CPA Ireland Call for Research 2019

CPA Ireland is issuing a call for research submissions in the field of accountancy and invites both members of the academic community at doctoral or masters level in addition to accountants actively engaged in practice or industry to submit an application for research funding. Funding of up to €2,500 per research project is available. Applications are due for submission by 5pm on Friday 28 June 2019.

For information please refer to https://www.cpaireland.ie/Resources/CPA-Ireland-Research

May 2018 – IAFA Conference 2018 Review & Photo Gallery

The Department of Accounting and Finance within the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick hosted the 31st Annual Irish Accounting and Finance Association PhD Colloquium and Conference in May 2018.

The conference ran over 3 days, with the Doctoral Colloquium taking place on Wednesday 23rd May and the main conference spread over Thursday and Friday (24th & 25th May). 31 papers were presented by PhD students during the colloquium, facilitated by 17 experienced academics who provided invaluable feedback and support to students.

A total of €6,000 in research funding was awarded by IAFA to 4 students to support their research work.

45 papers were presented at the main conference with Key Note sessions delivered by Professor Jan Bebbington from St. Andrews in Scotland and Deputy Michael Noonan, facilitated by Kathryn Hayes (lecturer in journalism). 66 delegates attended the doctoral colloquium with 100 delegates involved in the main conference.

The gala dinner was held in the Castletroy Park Hotel on the evening of 24th May. The conference benefited from excellent papers, constructive feedback from delegates to presenters, thought provoking key note sessions and the collegiality and fun we associate with all IAFA events. Thanks are due to all who participated in the conference.

Funding Partners

We are very proud to have supportive funding partners which include: