Data analytics is not only crucial in the technological landscape, but it also plays a significant role in accounting. With the advancements in digital technology, accounting professionals need to adapt and evolve their skill set to stay relevant. In this regard, accounting students are expected to be exposed to the data analytical skills and knowledge widely and commonly used by the accountants’ professionals in the preparation of financial reporting, taxation, and audit processes as well as business operational processes, in line with the objective of Malaysian Institute Accountants (MIA)’s Competencies Framework to produce accounting graduates with future technological skill sets relevance. This research proposes a framework to integrate data analytic knowledge and skills in the current accounting curriculum in the effort to prepare future ready accounting graduates with data analytics skills and knowledge by converging that perceived to be relevant and important by the accounting professionals and practitioners and accounting higher learning educators (HLEs). This research adopts concurrent triangulation method by using quantitative and qualitative method to achieve the objectives of this research which to:

• to identify the specific data analytic skills and knowledge expected by accounting professionals from accounting graduates

• to determine the specific data analytic tool and software that are relevant to accounting students and

• to determine the extent of data analytic skills, tools and software should be integrated into the current accounting curriculum.

By adopting multidimensional perspectives from both accounting academicians and accounting professionals, the framework consists of the data analytics skills and tools that should be integrated in the accounting curriculum from both perspectives and the extent of the integration to accounting students in terms of the best approach, suitable accounting courses, teaching method delivery and suitable instructor while also addressing the barriers and assistance needed in integrating data analytics into accounting curriculum. The findings of this research are converged in the development of the framework to integrate data analytic knowledge and skills in the current accounting curriculum in the effort to prepare future ready holistic accounting students in order to enhance their employability in the workforce and develop their future accounting career path.
Research Team:

> Dr. Siti Fariha Binti Muhamad
> Dr. Fahru Azwa Bin Mohd Zain
> Dr. Mohd Rushdan Bin Yasoa’
> Dr. Amira Binti Jamil
> Dr. Nur Syafiqah Binti A.Samad

University: Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)