Revising Greek Accounting & Finance Education in an Economic Crisis Environment

Abstract

Changes in world economy caused by globalization, the requirements for sustainable development and the emergence of information as a critical resource have changed significantly the requirements for an accounting and finance professional. Moreover, the recession evidenced in the world economy, which Greece experiences at its extreme, combined with the conduct of serious malpractices of business ethics in the banking and finance sector, brought the role of accounting and finance professionals into the center of widespread debates. Accounting and finance higher education could not be left unaffected from these developments and calls for deep reforms have been made from many sources.The present study presents research in progress, aiming to investigate the compliance of the curricula delivered by the relevant Greek higher education institutes with the emerging trends in Accounting & Finance Education. Thus, gaps and weakness of the current traditional curricula are identified and the development of the orientations of a new curriculum in Accounting & Finance Education is put forth. This new curriculum should cultivate the necessary skills and competencies to the future accounting and finance professionals in line with contemporary developments in areas such as green accounting, ethics, information systems, auditing and forensic accounting.