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05/04/2017 - EFRAG Academic Panel and new Academic Network to boost EFRAG’s evidence-based work on financial reporting

EFRAG TEG approves composition of the EFRAG Academic Panel and greenlights the establishment of the EFRAG Academic Network.


​In its March meeting, EFRAG TEG approved the composition of the EFRAG Academic Panel, which will be chaired by Günther Gebhardt, EFRAG TEG member on the academic seat.

EFRAG has decided to set up a pan-European panel to strengthen its relationship with the academic community’s thought leaders on financial reporting. With many of the IASB projects being in the early stages of standard setting, and EFRAG having its own portfolio of research projects, the new panel will provide invaluable support to EFRAG and further strengthen the European voice in the international financial reporting debate.

The support and input from academics to EFRAG is also instrumental to ensure that solutions to financial reporting issues are developed on a firm foundation of evidence, which is a widely agreed objective.

EFRAG’s call for candidates resulted in a large number of high quality applications. The composition of the EFRAG Academic Panel was determined based on applicants’ expertise and experience and reflects a balance of gender and geographical origin.

EFRAG has also decided to establish the EFRAG Academic Network as a wider virtual group contributing to and being informed about EFRAG’s research activities. Academics with an interest in financial reporting are invited to join. More details about the network can be found at the EFRAG website here.

Commenting on the decision to create the EFRAG Academic Panel, Andrew Watchman, EFRAG TEG Chairman said: “We were delighted with the quality and volume of applications received. We were looking for more academic input and clearly the academic community was looking to be more involved with us. I warmly welcome the members of EFRAG’s first Academic Panel and hope that many others will join the EFRAG Academic Network. With research taking up a substantial part of EFRAG and the IASB’s agenda, leading academic input is indispensable for our activities.”

The composition of the EFRAG Academic Panel is as follows:

• Günther Gebhardt, chairman, EFRAG TEG member, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
• Paul André, HEC Université de Lausanne
• Richard Barker, Oxford University
• Véronique Blum, Université Grenoble Alpes
• Kees Camfferman, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Joachim Gassen, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• Niclas Hellman, Stockholm School of Economics
• Ann Jorissen, Universiteit Antwerpen
• Irene Karamanou, University of Cyprus, Nikosia
• Erlend Kvaal, BI Norwegian Business School , Oslo
• Andrea Lionzo, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Milan
• Araceli Mora, Universidad de Valencia
• Roberto di Pietra, Università di Siena
• Lucia Maria Portela de Lima Rodrigues, Universidade do Minho, Braga
• Thorsten Sellhorn, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Frank Thinggaard, Aarhus Universitet
• Alfred Wagenhofer Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz