By Megan Killian, vice president – member relations

For more than 15 years the PICPA Schools and Colleges Committee has hosted an annual conference on accounting education. The program covers topics directed toward college educators, administrators, adjunct faculty, and advisory boards, but many more can take advantage of the cutting-edge discussions.

A Tradition of Very Timely Topics
Looking back over the agendas from past years, I couldn’t help but notice that the content has always been on point. Check out these topics covered in years past:

• 2002 - How the Internet Has Changed the Accounting Profession
• 2005 - Distance Learning
• 2006 - Web-Based Technology Tools Used in Education
• 2012 - Blogging and Social Media
• 2013 - Flipped Classroom

Notice anything? These were all emerging issues at the time that have become fixtures in accounting education and the CPA workplace. This year’s agenda continues that tradition with timely discussions on the CPA Exam changes, big data in accounting, and using social media to attract students. One other hot topic on the agenda is a presentation on the National Association of State Board of Accountancy’s (NASBA) statistical reports. These reports contain a wealth of information, and if you have any interest at all in exam statistics and trends then this is a session you must not miss.

Not Just for Educators
Recruiters, firm leaders, and other stakeholders also will find this information useful in their efforts to attract, retain, and groom future leaders at their firms and companies. What are accounting students learning? How do they apply it in the real world? How do employers incorporate new hires and their special skills and knowledge?

You Can Watch from Anywhere
This year the conference is being offered as a webcast, making it even easier to attend.

Find the full conference agenda and registration details here.