Expectations gap, market skills, and challenges of accounting education in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study investigates accounting graduates' skills gap and the required market skills from the perception of accounting faculty and professionals in accounting firms in Saudi Arabia. It also explores the challenges accounting programmes and faculty face in due rapid changes.

METHODOLOGY: The research uses a combination of methods and data sources.

FINDINGS: The findings show a gap between accounting education and the labour market demands. Accounting programs focus on technical skills and less on other general skills. Accounting graduates lack interpersonal, dialogue, and language skills. These employability skills should be integrated into accounting education to narrow the gap. The results show that the accounting graduates' willingness to learn beyond classrooms and university is one of the critical challenges to equip them with the required skills.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study contributed to the understanding of the accounting education. Understanding the graduate skills gap and the challenges will be helpful to professional bodies, university administrators, business school deans, accounting faculty, careers guidance professionals in Saudi Arabia.