School of Accounting and Finance Strategic Plan

Starting in 2017 the School began implementing a new strategy that is designed to prepare our students for an ever-changing world and to apply practice, policy and the professions with world-class research.

Over the next ten years, the School will leverage our people and the University’s strengths, aligning our combined resources and energy towards our mission:

Transforming the professions; world-class research, experiential education.

As a School composed of students, faculty and staff we will transform the accounting and finance professions in two ways. First, through the world-class research conducted by our faculty and disseminated to the business community, policy makers and standard setters. Second, our graduates will transform the professions through the impact that they will have in their careers based on the capabilities they develop through experiential education here at Waterloo.

To develop our students’ capabilities we will:

  • Further invest in our outstanding cross-disciplinary programs with Arts, Math, Science and Engineering Expand our business analytics course offerings to develop student capabilities in this rapidly changing area
  • Expand opportunities for experiential learning such as case competitions, Student Investment Fund and Student Venture Fund
  • Implement problem-based learning to develop our students’ ability to solve problems and collaborate as part of a team
  • Fine-tune the sixteen months of co-op work experience to optimize student learning
  • Collaborate with the Conrad Centre to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset where students innovate and solve problems
  • Renew our graduate program offerings by redeveloping our Master of Accounting program

To develop a world-class research capability we will:

  • Recruit top academic researchers and create an environment that fosters collaboration
  • Enhance our existing PhD program and develop a new PhD program in finance
  • Build on our international research collaborations to gain broader perspectives on research issues
  • Engage the policy, practice and professional communities to inform our research and to apply academic research to these communities
  • Effectively communicate our research to the business community, policy makers and standard setters

If you are a current student, staff member or faculty we are thankful that you are part of our team and helping us achieve our Mission. If you are thinking of joining us we would be delighted to have you help us transform the professions.