The Durban University of Technology (DUT) was among the represented higher education institutions during the Southern African Accounting Association (SAAA) Regional Teaching and Learning Conference held at the Riverside Hotel in Durban, recently.
“Accounting for a Changing World” was the theme of this year’s SAAA KwaZulu-Natal Regional Teaching and Learning Conference.
The conference provided a platform for participants involved in various accountancy professions, to contribute towards regional Accounting research in line with the SAAA’s vision of promoting excellence in higher education accountancy research in Southern Africa.
Among the conference convenors was the DUT Financial Accounting Department, Acting Head of Department and Deputy Accounting Subject Leader of SAAA, Brian Ngiba, who emphasized the need for accounting research in order to produce new knowledge.
“The world is changing, so should the Accounting principles and standards. Otherwise, the Accounting profession will be extinct because of irrelevance,” said Ngiba.
Dr. Lulu Jali, a lecturer in the Department of Auditing and Taxations at DUT said Accounting is far broader than it seems, also highlighting its impact in the world.
“Accounting is not just about numbers but there are human beings behind, who interact with the numbers for a better world,” she said.
In his keynote address, Prof Siphamandla Zondi, who serves as the Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Pretoria and Co-ordinator of the Institute for Strategic and Political Affairs, emphasized the importance of producing accountants that will lead change in society.
“As lecturers, we have to look at how we teach students so that we don’t just produce an accountant, but rather citizens who will better the society. The world is changing and accounting has to lead that change,” said Prof Zondi.
During the conference, several academics pursuing their postgraduate studies from the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics at DUT presented papers at the conference. Overall, a total of 28 research papers were presented, and six of those were international submissions.
Pictured: Convenors of the Southern African Accounting Association; KwaZulu-Natal Regional Teaching and Learning Conference
Picture Credit: Albert Hirasen
Sandile Lukhozi
