The School of Accounting and Finance hosts faculty specializing in Archival and Empirical, Behavioural, and Finance research, as well as four research centres:
- Centre for Accounting Ethics
- Waterloo Centre for Taxation in a Global Economy
- University of Waterloo Centre for Information Integrity and Information Systems Assurance (USCISA)
- CPA Ontario Centre for Sustainability Reporting and Performance Management (CSPM)
The breadth of our research is extensive with faculty collectively examining a multitude of issues related to asset pricing, corporate finance, assurance, financial reporting, tax, information systems, management control systems, law, governance and ethics.
Faculty also utilize the full-range of research methods including theoretical modeling, simulations, archival analysis, field and lab experiments, surveys and interviews. As a consequence of the emphasis on diversity, our research is relevant to a broad audience including standard setters, regulators, accounting and finance professionals in practice, and policy makers.
In 2014, Waterloo became one of only 11 universities in the world to earn a 5+ star rating in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Stars rating, which evaluates universities against over 50 different factors. As of 2022, we rank in the top 150 in the subject of Accounting and Finance. The 2021 Brigham Young University Global Accounting Research Survey ranked SAF 2nd in Canada and 15th globally for accounting research; other highlights are listed below.
