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Impact of Accounting Students’ Participation in Academic Competitions on Their Interest in Accounting as a Profession

Abstract

Academic competitions in accounting are structured educational activities that challenge students to demonstrate their knowledge, analytical abilities, and understanding of accounting concepts through competitive academic tasks, while interest in accounting as a profession refers to students’ willingness, enthusiasm, and intention to consider accounting as a long-term career. Participation in academic competitions can expose students to challenging accounting problems, encourage active engagement with accounting knowledge, and provide opportunities to demonstrate their abilities beyond conventional classroom activities. This study therefore seeks to examine the impact of Accounting students’ participation in academic competitions on their interest in accounting as a profession. Accounting academic competitions may include accounting quizzes, case competitions, problem-solving contests, essay competitions, debates, presentation contests, and other structured activities involving accounting knowledge and skills. Participation in these activities can encourage students to study accounting concepts more extensively, interact with other learners, work under time constraints, and apply their knowledge to challenging tasks. Such experiences may provide students with opportunities to recognize the practical and intellectual dimensions of accounting. Interest in accounting as a profession involves students’ willingness to pursue accounting-related careers, develop professional accounting knowledge, seek relevant qualifications, and remain engaged with the accounting field. Students who participate in academic competitions may develop greater appreciation for their accounting abilities and become more aware of the professional applications of accounting knowledge. Competitive academic experiences may therefore contribute to students’ enthusiasm for accounting and their willingness to consider it as a future profession. The study will adopt a quantitative research design. The population will comprise Accounting students in selected tertiary institutions. Data will be collected using a structured questionnaire designed to measure students’ participation in accounting-related academic competitions and their interest in accounting as a profession, including participation frequency, engagement in competition activities, willingness to pursue accounting careers, enthusiasm for accounting, and intention to develop professionally in the field. The instrument will be subjected to appropriate validity and reliability procedures before administration. Data collected will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, while the relevant hypothesis will be tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The study is expected to establish that participation in academic competitions has a significant positive impact on students’ interest in accounting as a profession. Students who actively participate in accounting-related academic competitions are expected to demonstrate greater enthusiasm for accounting, stronger awareness of their capabilities, and increased willingness to consider accounting as a professional career. The findings are expected to have implications for teaching and learning in Accounting Education. Lecturers and departments may need to incorporate more competitive academic activities into accounting programmes to complement conventional classroom instruction. Accounting quizzes, case competitions, problem-solving contests, and presentation activities can provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge, demonstrate their abilities, and develop a stronger appreciation of accounting as a professional field. The study will be beneficial to Accounting students, lecturers, heads of departments, tertiary institutions, curriculum developers, professional accounting bodies, and employers. Students may gain greater confidence in their accounting abilities and develop stronger interest in professional accounting careers. Lecturers and institutions may obtain useful information for designing engaging academic activities, while professional bodies may use competitions as a means of promoting awareness and interest in the accounting profession among students. The study recommends that tertiary institutions and Accounting departments should organize regular accounting-related academic competitions and encourage broad student participation. Lecturers should use competitions as complementary learning activities that expose students to challenging accounting tasks and professional applications of accounting knowledge. Professional accounting bodies should also support academic competitions through mentorship, educational resources, and professional engagement. The study concludes that participation in academic competitions can provide meaningful learning experiences that strengthen students’ interest in accounting as a profession.

Keywords: Academic Competitions, Accounting Students, Accounting Profession, Professional Interest, Accounting Education, Student Participation, Career Interest, Accounting Careers, Academic Engagement, Professional Awareness, Accounting Knowledge, Career Development, Student Motivation, Professional Development, Accounting Practice