Forensic accounting skills: will supply finally catch up to demand?

Abstract

This paper examines the mismatch between the supply of and demand for auditors with forensic accounting skills. Regulators continue to increase the responsibility for auditors to detect fraudulent financial statements, and several accounting organizations have responded with calls for more stringent attention to fraud detection. However, universities have been slow to respond with courses designed to improve students’ understanding of fraud or their abilities to detect it. New accounting accreditation standards and the need to revise curricula to meet increased CPA licensing requirements give hope that more attention will finally be given to increasing university coverage of fraud and forensic auditing skills.