Judgment Beyond the Numbers: Redesigning the accounting capstone for a complex world

Dr Dhayani Kirubaharan and Dr Mario Schabus, 2026

Purpose

The postgraduate accounting capstone (ACF5510/5350) was redesigned in response to a rapidly changing professional environment shaped by climate risk, artificial intelligence, misinformation, geopolitical uncertainty and growing expectations of corporate responsibility. Dhayani Kirubaharan and Mario Schabus set out to move beyond teaching sustainability and ethics as isolated topics, embedding them throughout the curriculum as dimensions of professional accounting judgment and civic responsibility. The unit sought to develop adaptable graduates who could critically evaluate information, recognise misinformation and media framing, consider the broader consequences of business decisions, understand competing stakeholder perspectives, communicate across cultural differences, and act responsibly when problems do not have a single correct answer. A further priority was to strengthen belonging among a predominantly international student cohort through meaningful opportunities for peer learning, staff interaction and participation.

Practice

Sustainability, ethics, inclusivity and professional responsibility were integrated across the curriculum, learning activities and assessments. Students explored climate-related risk, ESG-Environmental, Social, and Governance, artificial intelligence, media and algorithmic literacy, geopolitical developments, stakeholder expectations and Indigenous perspectives on sustainability, connecting each theme to accounting judgment, governance and organisational decision-making. Students worked in stable table groups throughout the semester, enabling trust, peer connection and collaborative learning to develop over time, with active listening and respectful disagreement explicitly modelled and practised. Weekly team activities encouraged students to interpret complex problems together, while weekly interactive oral tasks required them to explain and defend their judgment in conversation with staff. Assessment requirements also included participation in a climate-related workshop and community volunteering, extending learning beyond the classroom, and a professional identity storybook assessment encouraged students to reflect on their values, development, experiences and responsibilities as future accounting professionals.

Output

Student feedback reflected that the unit provided an applied learning environment in which students connected accounting knowledge with real-world decision-making. Workshop activities and assessment tasks encouraged participation, improved confidence and helped students communicate accounting ideas clearly. Students also developed research, teamwork, critical-thinking and problem-solving capabilities, with stable groups and regular contact with staff creating further opportunities for feedback, peer learning and belonging.

Outcome

The longer-term outcome was stronger professional readiness and a broader understanding of accounting responsibility. Student reflections indicated that they became more reflective and capable of applying knowledge in practical and uncertain situations, recognising that effective accountants require adaptability, accountability, communication and ethical judgment, not technical competence alone.

Impact

The wider impact is the development of future accounting professionals better equipped to contribute responsibly to organisations and society. Employers, clients, communities and the profession benefit from graduates who combine technical knowledge with responsible leadership, clear communication and awareness of the wider consequences of business decisions. The initiative aligns particularly with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 16.