MEMBERS

Annual Conference with Doctoral Masterclasses 2026

Tuesday 14 - Thursday 16 April 2026 Aston University, Birmingham

We are pleased to announce the next Annual Conference with Doctoral Masterclasses will be hosted by Aston University, Birmingham, from 14–16 April 2026. The doctoral masterclasses on Tuesday, 14 April, and the main conference on Wednesday and Thursday, 15–16 April. The Annual Dinner and Awards Presentation will be held at the Edgbaston Stadium on Wednesday 15 April. This will be an in-person event only.

Programmes: 

Keynote Speakers

Annual Conference

Doctoral Masterclasses

  • Professor Andy Stark, Emeritus Professor Accounting and Finance at the University of Manchester Alliance Manchester Business School, UK.
  • Professor Aziza Laguecir, Professor of Management Accounting, EDHEC Business School, Lille, France

Important Dates (for the Doctoral Masterclasses and Annual Conference)

  • Online paper submission opens for the main conference: 8 September 2025
  • Deadline for submissions: 1 December 2025 19 December 2025
  • Registration and payment opens: 1 December 2025
  • Paper acceptance notifications on a rolling basis from 1 December to 6 January 2026
  • Registration (payment) for presenters closes: 13 February 2026 (midnight GMT)
  • Deadline for online submission of revised papers: 2 March 2026
  • Registration and payment for non-presenters closes: 2 March 2026 (midnight GMT)
  • Detailed presentation programme announced: 2 March 2026
    Note: No changes to the full schedule are possible once published
  • Online Conference Platform available: 10 April 2026

Our Supporters

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Registration (Closed)

Opens: 1 December 2025
Closes for Presenters: 13 February 2026
Closes for Non-presenters: 2 March 2026

  • Full ticket: £350
    £300 Early Bird Full Ticket available until 16 January 2026
  • Discounted ticket: £175

(You can check if you're eligible for the discounted ticket here: http://bafa.ac.uk/conference-information/#rate)

Tickets for the conference will be available via your BAFA Membership Account. The conference ticket does NOT include the BAFA membership fee. Although you do not need to be a member of BAFA to submit a paper, you will need to be a member to attend the conference. The membership fee is £30 or £15 per annum, and you can find out more information on membership at the website.

IMPORTANT:

No late payments will be considered in 2026.

No refunds after 13 March 2026 and all refunds are subject to the discretion of trustees.

We will not accept payment for the conference at the registration desk.

NOTE: Photography  will be taking place during this event. By registering for and attending the event, you grant BAFA/Aston University permission to capture and use photos and videos of your likeness for promotional purposes. If you prefer not to have your image used in any promotional materials, please inform a member of staff upon your arrival.

Travel & Accommodation

Accommodation 

  • Conference Aston (Delegate rate available until 31 January 2026 13 February 2026)

The following hotels can be booked directly or via an online booking service.

Venue Location and How to Get There

Please visit the Aston University website for this information. 

CALL FOR PAPERS FOR THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE (Closed)

NOTE: You do not have to be a member of BAFA to make a submission, but you will need to join BAFA and register for the conference if your paper is accepted for presentation.

We invite submissions of full papers on any topic from academics, final-year PhD students, and practitioners in the disciplines of accounting and finance.

Papers will be reviewed by subject specialists drawn from our special interest groups and associates. We are seeking to increase the variety of events that we offer at this year’s conference. We will, therefore, carefully balance that with the number of presentation slots that are available.

We aim to provide a showcase for innovative research and teaching in accounting and finance. Streams for 2026 include, but not limited to:

  • Accounting and Finance in Emerging Economies
  • Accounting Education
  • Accounting History
  • Accounting Information Systems and Emerging Technologies, including New Technologies in Accounting, Auditing and Forensics
  • Asset Pricing, Financial Data Science and Econometrics
  • Auditing
  • Behavioural Finance
  • Corporate Finance
  • Corporate Governance
  • Diversity, covering Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in Accounting and Finance Pedagogy, Research and Teaching
  • Financial Markets and Institutions
  • Financial Accounting and Reporting
  • Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Accounting
  • Management Accounting
  • Public Services and Charities
  • Taxation

Paper Submission

Opens: 8 September 2025
Closes: 1 December 2025 19 December 2025

Use the Paper Submissions Platform  to submit one FULL paper to the Annual Conference 2026. Please note that although you will be able to edit certain details online, you will not be able to upload a revised version of the file while it is pending review.

IMPORTANT: If your paper is accepted you may be scheduled to present on Wednesday or Thursday, so please note in your diary that you must be available on both days of the annual conference.

Our Early Career Researcher (ECR) sessions allow final-yearPhD students and those who have completed their PhD within the last five years an opportunity to present their work and get feedback from invited faculty and others in smaller sessions. See Option 1 below.

NOTE: You do not have to be a member of BAFA to make a submission, but you will need to join BAFA and register for the conference if your paper is accepted for presentation.

CALL FOR THE DOCTORAL MASTERCLASSES (Closed)

Our doctoral masterclasses offer support and opportunities for feedback and participation, including: a designated academic to provide support and feedback throughout the conference and networking opportunities. There will also be events for PhD students throughout the three-day conference

NOTE: PhD students can present in either the main conference OR the doctoral masterclasses, not both. Please read the instructions below carefully. You will need to register/pay for the conference by the deadline to secure your place.

Choose either Option 1 OR Option 2:

Option One

Final-year PhD students and those who have completed their PhD within the last five years have the opportunity to submit full papers to the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Parallel Sessions held throughout Tuesday and Wednesday. They will get feedback from designated persons in the conference who will attend their presentation and offer feedback following the session, as well as receiving feedback in the session from the audience. Papers that are not accepted for presentation in one of the sessions on 15–16 April 2026 will automatically be given a place in the doctoral masterclasses on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.

Paper Submission

Opens: 8 September 2025

Closes: 1 December 2025 19 December 2025

Use the Paper Submissions Platform to submit one full paper to the Annual Conference 2026—tick the ECR checkbox in the submission form. Please note that although you will be able to edit certain details online, you will not be able to upload a revised version of the file while it is pending review.

Option Two

All doctoral students are invited to submit an abstract for the doctoral masterclasses on 14 April 2026, unless they have submitted a paper to the main conference (option 1 above). Students will be invited to present their own work and will receive feedback from faculty and other students. Students are expected to attend all sessions on 14 April and will only be awarded a certificate of attendance on this basis. Students are also expected to attend the whole conference.

There are 80 places available on a first-come, first served basis. Once the quota is full, your name will be placed on a waiting list.

Paper Submission

Opens: 8 September 2025

Closes: 1 December 2025 19 December 2025

Please include the following information on the PDF/Word file you upload:

  • Year of Study
  • Institute/University Registered
  • Year of Registration
  • Supervisor(s)

Read the guidelines for abstracts for the Doctoral Masterclasses.

Use the Paper Submissions Platform  to submit one abstract to the Doctoral Masterclasses 2026. Please note that although you will be able to edit certain details online, you will not be able to upload a revised version of the file while it is pending review.

Responsible Use of Generative AI in Research Idea Generation Workshop

This year we are offering students presenting at the Doctoral Masterclasses, the opportunity to attend a special event run as part of the British Accounting Review’s editorial support for PhD and Early Career Researchers in the BAFA Annual conference 2026. The event is limited to 30 participants; the registration link will be sent to accepted doctoral masterclass presenters who have registered to attend the conference. 

This will be a practical, hands-on workshop on the responsible use of Generative AI in research idea generation. This session will introduce participants to structured techniques for using AI tools creatively and ethically, alongside the “Pitching Research” framework to refine and communicate research ideas effectively. The workshop will take place during the PhD/ECR time slot and will be delivered in an interactive format, with guided activities and collaborative exercises.

Instructors

  • Professor Robert Faff (Corvinus University of Budapest / University of Queensland): Creator of the Pitching Research initiative
  • Professor Charlie Cai (University of Liverpool Management School): Joint Editor, The British Accounting Review