Although interest in accounting education appears to be growing from mainstream and critical perspectives, accounting education is perhaps an under-explored field of research in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. In a context characterized by the advent of the Arab Spring and the increasing social unrest with 100 million unemployed young people seeking work, as noted by both the United Nations and the World Economic Forum, understanding how education is undertaken, is crucial. This could play a role in the advancement of the profession, helping the young enter the employment market, in the reproduction of social structures, or the maintenance of forms of domination. Moreover, current technological advances such as the Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, and Big Data Analytics are increasingly challenging not only the way accounting should be taught but also the role that accountants and auditors will play in the future.
Accounting Education invites submissions for a special issue devoted to Accounting Education in MENA countries, to advance our understanding of accounting education practices, from a broad range of perspectives. Submissions for this special issue should be original work on topics related to accounting education with a clear contextualization and consideration of distinctive MENA settings. Research topics appropriate for this special issue include, but are not limited to, the following themes:
The relationship between accounting education and the accounting profession
Factors influencing the development of accounting curricula
The impact (if any) of international accounting education standards
The practice of classroom teaching and why this matters
Accounting education of future accounting professionals
Professional development of accounting educators
History and traditions of accounting education
Critical education theory
Role of non-Arabic languages (such as English and French) inherited from the influence of globalization within accounting education and socialization issues related to this
Accounting education and emancipation
Innovation in accounting education and how this can be diffused more widely
The editors of this special issue welcome high-quality manuscripts inscribed in different research paradigms and in various scholarly research methods including but not limited to: field or experimental investigations; archival, analytical, or survey research; and case study research. In particular, the contribution of the studies needs to be made clear for others in MENA countries or more widely for accounting educators outside the region.