Accounting?

When I started university in 1996 I was enrolled in a dual degree in economics/commerce (accounting). After a while I decided that I hated accounting and after finishing 2/3rds of the requirements I dropped out of that degree and instead went on to do economics (honours). Since then, the closest I’ve come to doing accounting is when I do my personal & company tax return every year (which I still haven’t done for 2006/07).

So it was quite strange when I got an offer to lecture accounting at one of China’s best universities (Xiamen University).

Context: I spent a few hours yesterday applying for positions as an economics lecturer at various Chinese universities. It is a different prospect as (1) you generally need a PhD to lecture; and (2) most lecturing in China is done in Chinese. But I thought I’d test the waters.

15 minutes after sending of an application to Xiamen University I got a call asking me a few follow up questions. They asked if I could teach “financial accounting”. I explained that I hadn’t done it for 10 years and had never taught accounting before, but I knew the basics.  Late yesterday I got an e-mail explaining that there were no economics positions, but the accounting subject was available and very low-level. Interesting.

I don’t think I’ll take it. Doing accounting instead of economics undermines many of the benefits of being a lecturer. I don’t enjoy the subject… I would feel uncomfortable teaching something I’m not an expert in… and it wouldn’t help to progress my economic credentials. On the positive side, it would be a challenge and I would be living in China. But I think I’ll hold out for something better.