Technology has rapidly developed and people’s lifestyles are influenced by the technology development. Then, it leads to a digital era or disruptive era and it impacts on the industrial revolution, including an accounting field. For instance, there is a lot of software for accounting and bookkeeping. To confront the era, Department of Accounting of Universitas Muhamamdiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) conducted the 4th International Conference on Accounting and Finance (ICAF) on 25-26 April. The conference aimed to examine roles of accountants in the changes.
Chief of the conference Hafiez Sofyani, S.E., M.Sc. informed that the conference comprised of three activities. “They are an international seminar, paper submission, and workshop appealing university members to contribute to the conference. Rapid technology development bring significant shifts in various areas including transactions. In Indonesia, many digital transactions are now used,” he stated.
A lot of software for accounting attracts higher education institutions’ attention. “The conference is our effort to reformulate roles of accountants,” told Hafiez. Thus, to discuss roles of accounting in this disruptive era, the workshop was organized under the theme the implementation of accounting and information technology and there were paper presentations related to the topics.
To hold the conference, Department of Accounting of UMY collaborated with Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta (UMJ), Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi (STIE) Muhammadiyah Palopo, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo (UMSIDA), and Universitas `Aisyiyah (UNISA). Meanwhile, the keynote speakers of the conference were Prof. Nafsiah Mohamed (an expert of Accounting Research Institute of University Teknologi MARA, Malaysia), Prof. Mehmet Lutfi Arslan (Business Department-Management and Organization Chair of Istanbul Medeniyet University, Turkey), Arif Perdana Ph.D. (an assistant professor at Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore), and Suhendar CA (Accounting Group Head of Bank Syariiah Mandiri). The conference was also supported by Indonesia Accounting Association (IAI) and Accounting Program Association (APSA).
Additionally, there was the MoU signing between Department of Accounting of UMY and Istanbul Medeniyet University, Turkey on roles of accountants in this era. “After this conference ends, we wish to keep in touch and collaborate for the betterment of accounting,” expected Hafiez.
