Almost every accountancy student (97%) says their current curriculum does not sufficiently cover broader ethics, social or environmental sustainability issues.
Students also want to see more belief ethics, accountability, and critical accounting in their studies.
The problem is many students do not believe that they have any power to change the accountancy curriculum themselves, and feel that the accreditation bodies have the most power to engender change.
A recent Rethinking Accountancy snapshot survey also found that only one third of respondents believed their course prepared them for the world of work.
Money seems to be the big reason for study accountancy. Some 89% of respondents admitted that the prime motive to study for an accountancy degree was the high earning potential and not to have a social or environmental impact!
The number of exemptions that a student can get from a business school influenced 68% of students when choosing their degree.
Rethink Accountancy organiser, Mzwanele Ntshwanti (pictured), said: “Ethics has never been more important in accountancy, since the profession has been enthralled in a series of recent scandals involving fraud, tax evasion, corruption, as well as environmental and socially unsustainable practices.”
