Commission Studying the Future of Accounting Education

Now's your chance to tell a new commission what you think needs to be taught to future accountants. The American Accounting Association (AAA) and the AICPA have formed a new commission to study possible future paths of higher education for students who plan on becoming accountants. The "Pathways Commission" will ask for input from all areas the accounting community. This includes individuals and representatives from organizations that impact the various current accounting education pathways.

According to Bruce Behn, University of Tennessee professor and chair of the commission, the commission's goal is to facilitate an open, transparent discussion to be supported by both technolgy and public discussions.

The commission recognizes the difficulty of sustaining the momentum for change in the dynamic environment of accounting practice and education. For this reason the commission's efforts are structured to continue into the future.

The commission was formed to study accounting pathways because a number of forces are affecting accounting education including:

• Shortages of qualified teachers with accounting doctorates,
• The need to revise the accounting curricula regularly in light of fast-paced business changes,
• University budget constraints that threaten to make the cost of education prohibitive, and
• The need for training in specialized areas to meet the profession's demands.

The commission will hold its first meeting Oct. 15-17 in Washington, D.C.

More information on the commission may be found at http://www.pathwayscommission.org/.

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