The 2024 flagship conference for the Irish Accounting and Finance Association (IAFA) was held in June 2024, at Ulster University’s Belfast campus.
Spanning three days, the event commenced with the Doctoral Masterclass on 12 June, followed by the main conference on 13 and 14 June.
The Doctoral Masterclass event was opened by Professor Danielle McWall, Head of the Department of Accounting, Finance, and Economics.
Attendees were privileged to hear from two distinguished guest speakers:
- Professor Trevor Hopper, Emeritus Professor at Sussex and Honorary Professor at Essex and Wellington, who delivered an engaging keynote on ‘Taking the stress out of getting a PhD: Survival, enjoying it, and the future’.
- Dr. Ekaete Efretuei, Senior Lecturer at Liverpool Business School at Liverpool John Moores University, representing the European Accounting Association, presented on ‘Textual analysis & narrative reporting in accounting research.’
A total of 27 PhD researchers showcased their research, receiving invaluable feedback from 14 experienced facilitators.
The main conference boasted 51 presentations over two days, showcasing cutting-edge research and fostering rich academic dialogue.
Attended by around 140 participants, it began with an opening address from Graeme Browne of Visit Belfast and Professor Liam Maguire, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at Ulster University.
The keynote speaker, Christine Helliar, Emeritus Professor at the University of South Australia, captivated the audience with her insights on ‘Sustainability, technology, and control’.
Another highlight was Professor Ann Tarca from the International Accounting Standards Board, who led an industry-academic plenary session discussing ‘The IASB work programme and contemporary issues facing accounting practitioners and academics’.
A lively panel discussion, moderated by Professor Anne Marie Ward, Professor of Accounting at Ulster University, featured esteemed panellists including Professor Niamh Brennan from UCD, Professor Philip O’Regan from University of Limerick, Professor Trevor Hopper from University of Sussex, and Professor Christine Helliar from the University of South Australia.
The conference concluded with a memorable dinner at Belfast City Hall, while all other catering was provided by the Academy Restaurant, which received high praise from attendees.
Professor Anne-Marie Ward, Professor of Accounting at Ulster University, commented:
“I would thank to thank everyone who supported and attended this annual conference which presented an opportunity for PhD Researchers, at all stages of doctoral research, to present their work and receive feedback from academics in their field. It also allowed academics, from universities across Ireland and beyond, to discuss key issues affecting the teaching of accounting, finance and related subjects, and share learnings around this.
“The organising for this event was a truly collaborative effort involving several Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics colleagues. Key organising roles, included Stuart Henderson (Chair of the Organising Committee for the main conference) and Professor Joan Ballantine (Chair of the Committee for the doctoral event).”
The conference attracted about 115 attendees from universities across Ireland and 25 from international institutions, including the University of Agder, Beijing Technology and Business University, University of Glasgow, University of Bergamo, and Macau University of Science and Technology.
Funding support from Visit Belfast was instrumental in the conference’s success.
Find out more:
For more details, visit 2024 Ulster University - IRISH ACCOUNTING & FINANCE ASSOCIATION (iafa.ie)
If you have any further questions regarding this event, contact Professor Anne-Marie Ward by email to am.ward@ulster.ac.uk