Department of Accounting

We consult with government departments, regulators and standard setting bodies, and professional accounting organisations including:

• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)
• International Accounting Standard Board (IASB)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)

Public policy impact

We contribute to the development of accounting and sustainability reporting standards, corporate governance and auditing standards, and other public policies.

Our public engagement work includes consultation and evidence-based reporting in areas
such as:

• mandatory climate-related financial disclosures, working with the BEIS
• International Financial Reporting Standards Sustainability Disclosure Taxonomy, working with the ISSB
• research and development tax reliefs, working with HMRC
• preventing abuse of research and development tax relief for small and medium-sized enterprises, working with HMRC
• the UK statutory audit market, working with the CMA and the BEIS

Other research work includes:

• working with the IASB on the standard setting process in unrecognised goodwill
• engaging with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, the Competition and Markets Authority, BEIS and ICAEW on regulatory reforms for corporate governance and audit quality in the UK and EU

Grant-funded research impact

Examples include:

• development of a National Code of Corporate Governance for Ghana   
• women at the board and their role in leading organisations in Indonesia
• the use of management mccounting techniques in the public hospitals in china
• joint provision of audit and non-audit services
• review of the quality of audit reports in the UK
• role and effectiveness of audit committees in UK higher education institutions
• governance and risk disclosure practices in UK higher education institutions
• responsible investment, living wage accreditation and climate change engagement
• governance of social housing, tenant welfare and activism, and housing on boat in the UK
• role of philanthropical organisation in Indonesia during Covid-19 Pandemic debt covenants
• sustainability reporting of small and medium-sized enterprises
• public financial management, fiscal transparency and public accountability: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Our research funders include the ESRC, the Financial Reporting Council, the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the British Academy, ICAEW, CIMA, the Chartered Institute of Taxation and KPMG.

Student and staff sustainability reporting project

We are working with a group of small and medium-sized enterprises, charities and not-for-profit organisations to help them implement sustainable practices and report their progress transparently. 

Through workshops, seminars, and hands-on training, participants make decisions to benefit the environment. The project is helping organisations make financial savings and increases their long-term economic viability. 

Our students and staff benefit by learning from real-world challenges and gathering valuable research data.

Accountancy competition for students

Some of our students took part in the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales's (ICAEW) Southern Intra-University Competition. 

Sponsored by accountancy firm PwC, the competition gave students the chance to use strategic thinking, financial decision-making, and collaborative problem-solving in a real-world scenario.

At 45% we have a high proportion of gender diversity within our staff profile. We are also committed to maintaining greater diversity across our departmental administrative roles.

• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• Association of MBAs (AMBA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Association of International Accountants (AIA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA)