Training Accounting Specialists at Kaunas University of Technology Economics and Management Faculty: Past, Present and Perspectives

Abstract

Accounting provides data on the company’s performance,finance flows, and this information is used to evaluate thecompany’s performance, to make management decisionsand future plans; therefore, accounting can very well becalled universal or international business language. Thesuccess of any major international company, individualtrader, or public organization depends on the knowledge ofaccounting conceptions and practice. Sceptics can maintainthat accounting is strongly regulated by the legal basis,business accounting standards, so, the competence of theaccountants depends on their knowledge and practicalskills. Accounting requires constant research, the results ofwhich facilitate forming the legal basis of accounting andaccounting policy not only at the level of the enterprise,but, also at the state level, correcting and developingaccounting standards, forming accounting systems forcompanies’ management as well as study of their practicalimplementation. The problems of accounting lead to thenecessity of research, and the latter requires practicalresults. All this helps to raise the qualitative level ofaccounting teaching and provide knowledge to futurespecialists. As economy is in the process of development andchanges, modern knowledge society is formed, whichchanges the qualitative and quantitative requirements raisedfor specialists of accounting.In training specialists many different problems arise.What subjects have to be offered to prepare skilledspecialists? How are skills developed? Which areas arethe most popular among accountants, and in which areaswould they like to improve?In reviewing study modules taught at the universities,it can be said that until the year 1998, only individualstudy modules in accounting were delivered, and only atthe Faculty. Starting with the year 1998, accountingmodules were delivered as subjects of general educationthroughout the University. In order to train high-skilledspecialists in accounting, an appropriate educational basisis necessary. It includes rooms for teaching, teachingfacilities, text books, computer programs, lecturers’ skillsand knowledge. The Department of Accounting carries outresearch, provides consultations to organizations andbusinessmen in implementing the results of research. Thisnumber is an indication of the skills of the lecturers. Onperforming analysis of legal environment of accountingand researches, the Department trained and published 32educational books designed for accounting modules.To evaluate the training process of accountingspecialists, evaluation models were applied, by means ofmethods of strategic planning, perspectives studies, educationcriteria of Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award andbalanced indexes, the index system was worked outenabling coordination of indexes of studies, research andapplied activity.There is no doubt that benefit of the assessment systemunder the current economic conditions is undeniable;scientific literature highlights different scientific andpractical research results related to assessment. This isvery important as diversified activities are developed in allareas with the aim to occupy leading positions. Theimplementation of the assessment model is going to requirea lot of expenditure, nevertheless, it will be beneficial notonly for the university, but also, for the study process. Withregard to new theories, accounting management methods,business practice and regulation of legal environment, thetraining of specialists will be more consistent.