Monitoring accounting education in higher education institutions by the professional accounting bodies in Australia 1944-1988

In Australia, the professional accounting bodies monitor accounting education in higher education institutions through a system currently referred to as course accreditation. This paper addresses the question of why this monitoring mechanism was developed over a 40-year period and how it failed as a quality control and quality improvement system for the professional accounting bodies. It concludes that, despite the evidence that the monitoring system was ineffective, professional bodies became 'locked in' to accreditation during the period 1944-88. However, the creation of alternate entry pathways by the professional bodies over the past year or two may signal a reconsideration by them of the efficacy of accreditation.