Hundreds of experts, academics, and professionals from various parts of the world attended the 4th Biennial Emerging Scholars Colloquium and Conference on Accounting and Accountability in Emerging Economies (AAEE) on June 25-27, 2025, in Bali. In this conference, 155 participants from 5 continents and 17 countries presented and discussed together the results of research related to accountability and sustainable development in developing countries. Some experts came from South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Canada, South Korea, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, and Jordan.
AAEE 2025 marked a historic moment as Indonesia hosted the forum for the first time after being regularly held in the UK. This year, the Faculty of Economics and Business, Gadjah Mada University (FEB UGM), and Udayana University were hosts, collaborating with the Centre of Accountability and Global Development, University of Essex, UK.
Highlight Accountability and Sustainable Development Issues
AAEE Conference Committee Chair, Prof. Shahzad Uddin from the University of Essex, said AAEE 2025’s theme, “Sustainable Development and Accountability in Emerging Economies,” highlights the importance of accounting transparency not only in financial aspects but also in supporting sustainable development goals and social transformation in developing countries.
“AAEE has developed into an important global platform for scholars and practitioners from developing countries to voice their perspectives and challenge dominant narratives that are often rooted in Anglo-American or Western European contexts,” he said when delivering remarks at the opening of AAEE which took place Thursday (26/06/2025) at Sanur Prama Sanur Beach Hotel, Bali.
This year, he continued, AAEE set a record for the highest number of papers. This year, he emphasized that AAEE achieved a record-breaking 200 paper submissions since its inception in 2018. The committee then selected 96 papers for presentation at the forum.
AAEE is pleased to announce that this year’s conference will feature three keynote speakers: Professor Dr. Anggito Abimanyu (Economist and Deputy Minister of Finance of Indonesia), Professor Christopher Napier (Accounting expert from Royal Holloway, University of London), and Professor Susela Devi K. Suppiah (Researcher in the field of sustainable accounting and governance, Universiti Selangor).
Emerald Publishing and the Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies (JAEE), which currently holds the Q1 ranking in Scopus, fully support the prestigious conference. Similar to previous conferences, the organisers intend to publish a selection of papers in a special edition of this journal.
“AAEE facilitates constructive and interdisciplinary discussions. We hope all participants can get useful feedback and establish new collaborations,” he explained.
Prof. Teerooven Soobaroyen, Co-Chair of the AAEE Committee from Aston University, said that AAEE is an essential platform for academics, young researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange ideas, build networks, and generate cross-national collaborations.
“The conference was designed to encourage constructive feedback, build networks, and create collaborations involving developing countries. There are a variety of themes that address different aspects of accounting and accountability, many of which adopt an interdisciplinary approach. Whatever your background and research focus, we hope that the discussions at this conference are useful and can help develop your research,” he hoped.
FEB UGM Affirms Commitment to Global Initiatives
Dean of FEB UGM, Prof. Dr. Didi Achjari, M.Com., Ak. CA., when delivering his speech, emphasized that the participation of FEB UGM in AAEE 2025 is part of the commitment to continue to play an active role in global academic initiatives and build meaningful dialogue and partnerships. As an institution committed to academic excellence, FEB UGM continues to play a strategic role in encouraging international research collaboration in accounting and accountability, especially in the context of developing countries.
Prof. Didi said that this conference aligns with the mission of FEB UGM to contribute to global academic progress and promote cross-border knowledge exchange. Meanwhile, the theme of this year’s conference, “Sustainable Development and Accountability in Emerging Economies,” is very appropriate amid various social, environmental, and economic challenges that are increasingly complex.
“Accounting and accountability are important tools to strengthen governance, transparency, and sustainable development,” he said.
Prof. Didi hopes this conference can be a vehicle for exchanging ideas, building research networks, and encouraging interdisciplinary and cross-country collaboration. He also encouraged young researchers and academics to dare to raise contemporary issues with innovative and policy-relevant approaches. In addition, he also invited participants to publish their research in international journals such as the Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies (JAEE) – Scopus Q1 and the Journal of Indonesian Economy and Business (JIEB) – Scopus Q3. These contributions will further enrich knowledge and significantly impact areas of mutual concern.
“We hope this conference runs smoothly and produces insights and recommendations that benefit the academic and practitioner communities. Let us keep moving forward with the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and common goals,” he concluded.
Report by: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
Sustainable Development Goals
