Accounting conferences are a great place to learn what’s new, share ideas, and connect with industry professionals. And with the world slowly opening up, there’s never been a more exciting time to get out there and broaden your horizons. But with so many events to choose from, where do you start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll run through some of the top accounting conferences for 2023, highlighting what you can expect from each. To help you navigate, we’ve divided this list into four sections:
This isn’t an exhaustive list. Rather, think of it as a shortlist, featuring some of the most interesting events to attend for accounting professionals. Ready? Let’s dive in.
(Source)
Accounting conferences in Australia
2023 UTS Australian Summer Accounting Conference
Where: University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
When: 9-10 February 2023
Cost: Free
As you’d expect from an accounting and finance conference hosted by a university, this event has a more academic vibe than most. Attendees can enjoy keynote speeches, presentations of academic papers, and discussions around key accounting topics.
While you might not get to demo the latest technology, this event will offer plenty of deep insights into current trends and future challenges, providing a chance to get ahead of the accounting curve.
Accounting Business Expo Melbourne
Where: MCEC, Melbourne, Australia
When: 14-15 March 2023
Cost: Free
Dubbed ‘Australia's premier exhibition and conference for the fast-changing world of accounting, business, finance, and money,’ this two-day event brings together over 4,000 attendees, 150 exhibitors, and 200 speakers.
With a focus on technology — specifically cloud solutions and digital transformation — this is an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest tools and services that are changing the game.
Just some of the 200 speakers at this year's Accounting Business Expo Melbourne (source).
2023 AFAANZ Conference
Where: The Star Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
When: 2-4 July 2023
Cost: Not yet specified
AFAANZ (the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand) has a mission to promote excellence in the fields of accounting and finance. Its annual conference has a strong focus on academic research, welcoming papers across a broad range of relevant subjects.
Last year’s event welcomed almost 300 people in-person, with over 100 attending online. This year, attendees can look forward to a full schedule of speakers, including professors from the University of Delaware and the University of Auckland.
Accounting Business Expo Sydney
Where: ICC, Sydney, Australia
When: 22-23 November 2023
Cost: Free
Another Accounting Business Expo, but this time in Sydney. While the line-up is still to be confirmed, it will have a similar look and feel to the Melbourne event. Expect to learn about the technology and trends that are set to define the future of accounting and finance.
Accounting conferences in the USA
Engage 2023
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA + online
When: 5-8 June
Cost: Early-bird rates for a three-day ticket start at $1,545
Organized by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Engage is a popular event with a focus on the rapid state of change in the accounting world — and how to turn challenges into opportunities.
Divided into nine different tracks — including advanced accounting and auditing — you’ll have the opportunity to meet with professionals in your specific field. What’s more, it’s possible to attend this event virtually as well as in-person.
Something for everyone: the nine different tracks at Engage 2023 (source).
BKX 2023
Where: Dallas, Texas, USA
When: 27-29 June 2023
Cost: $997
A bit of a deviation into the world of bookkeeping for this one. Dubbed ‘the only live, in-person experience exclusively for entrepreneurial-minded bookkeeping professionals,’ BKX is a place to share new ideas, find solutions to bookkeeping problems, and connect with like-minded professionals.
Unlike some of the bigger events on this list, BKX 2023 has a niche audience — the event is bookkeeper-only, with a focus on small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs. Sorry, Big-3 accountants!
A panel discussion from last year’s BKX event (source).
The American Accounting Association Annual Meeting
Where: Denver, Colorado, USA
When: 7-9 August 2023
Cost: Not yet specified
With over 200 learning sessions to choose from, spanning accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, and tax strategies, you’ll be sure to find something useful at this year’s AAA Annual Meeting.
The overarching theme of this year’s event is ‘sustaining our profession,’ looking at the challenges the industry faces, the opportunities for change and innovation, and how financial professionals can shape the future.
Synergy 2023
Where: Aurora, Colorado, USA
When: 8-11 November 2023
Cost: Currently $2199, rising to $2399 in May
Organized by Thomas Reuters, this popular annual event for tax and accounting firms boasts four days of jam-packed interactive learning. Attendees can enjoy breakout sessions, keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, and demos from the latest accounting tech. Here’s what a former attendee had to say about the event:
“When I started looking at all the different classes that Synergy offers, I knew this was exactly what I needed to take me to the next level.”
Accounting conferences in the UK
Accountex 2023
Where: ExCel, London
When: 10-22 May 2023
Cost: Free
Bringing together 250 top FinTech companies from across the globe, Accountex is a fantastic place to learn what’s new in the world of accounting. It’s also a great place to pick up new skills, with its very own CPD-accredited learning programme.
Accountex attracts almost 10,000 accounting professionals, making it the biggest accounting conference in the world. And it’s completely free!
A panel discussion from last year’s Accountex event (source).
Finance and Accounting 2023 Annual Research Symposium
Where: University of Westminster, London
When: 15-16 June 2023
Cost: Free
Organized by the University of Westminster’s School of Finance and Accounting, this two-day event brings together some of the brightest accounting minds from academia and industry. The overarching theme for this year’s event is diversity in finance and accounting.
With keynote speeches from accounting experts at PwC and the London School of Economics, this event should offer plenty of fresh perspectives.
International Accounting Forum & Awards 2023
Where: London
When: 29 June 2023
Cost: Free for accounting firms
Join a host of industry experts, technology providers, and regulators to discuss the key challenges, trends, and opportunities impacting the accounting industry in 2023. In addition to a lineup of over 20 speakers, this event seeks to recognise individuals and accounting firms that are pushing innovation.
The International Accounting Forum typically draws over 100 attendees, with 80% at director or c-suite level. So if you’re a leader in the accounting space, this might be the perfect place to meet your peers.
Attendees at the 2022 International Accounting Forum & Awards (source).
Accountex Summit Manchester
Where: Manchester Central, UK
When: 19 September 2023
Cost: TBA. You can join the mailing list for the latest updates
Another Accountex event, but this time in the North of England. Accountex Summit Manchester offers CIPD-accredited learning and insight, demos of the latest accounting tech and tools, and the chance to network with 2,000 accountants, finance directors, bookkeepers, CFOs, and tax professionals.
See the latest accounting tech at the Accountex Manchester Summit (source).
International accounting conferences
EEA Congress 2023
Where: Aalto University School of Business, Helsinki, Finland
When: 24-26 May 2023
Cost: Not yet specified
For its 45th edition, the European Accounting Association congress comes live from sunny Finland. With a strong focus on academic research, this event regularly attracts over 1,200 attendees, with approximately 1,000 papers presented.
In addition to keeping up with the latest ideas in the field of accounting, the EEA Congress is an excellent place to network with accounting professionals from across Europe.
Accounting and Finance Show Asia
Where: Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore
When: 10-11 October 2023
Cost: Free
Now in its sixth year, the Accounting and Finance Show Asia offers attendees the chance to demo the latest digital innovations, watch presentations and talks across five stages, and network with a global crowd of accounting professionals.
With over 3,000 attendees, 170 speakers, and 120 exhibitors, it’s also one of the biggest accounting conferences in the world.
Anyone for a trip to Singapore? Check out the Accounting & Finance Show (source).
Happy conferencing!
We hope you found this list helpful. Perhaps it even inspired you to take a trip or two this year. With so many in-person events as well as virtual options, 2023 looks set to be an exciting year to learn about the latest trends and tools that are changing the accounting world — tools like Content Snare.
Content Snare provides a simple, streamlined way to request documents from your clients. The result is less time spent chasing clients for information and more time doing what you do best: actual accounting.
Sounds interesting? Then sign up for a free trial today.
