Symposium “Rethinking Economic Models: Sustainability, Finance, and Accounting in Times of Transformation”

The urgency of transitioning toward sustainable economic systems has been underscored by recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related disasters, and widening inequality. The pursuit for a sustainable development is a matter of global concern, requiring urgent integration into industrial production and education systems to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Industries need to adopt eco-friendly technologies, circular economy principles, and energy-efficient processes to reduce environmental impact. Simultaneously, educational institutions must embed sustainability into curricula to foster a new generation of professionals equipped with green skills and innovative thinking.

Conventional financial and accounting practices often fail to account for environmental and social costs, leading to unsustainable outcomes. The Symposium “Rethinking Economic Models: Sustainability, Finance, and Accounting in Times of Transformation” seeks to respond to this dual challenge by providing a platform for dialogue and collaboration among researchers, educators, industry leaders, and policymakers. It will showcase solutions that align with the SDGs and highlight innovative strategies to embed sustainability into economic models, finance and accounting, in both educational institutions and in companies. It bridges the gap between theory and practice by fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on how finance, accounting, and governance can evolve to support a resilient and equitable economy.

This Symposium aims to bridge the gap between industry and academia by exploring innovative approaches, methods, best practices, and policy frameworks that facilitate sustainable transformation in the finance and accounting sector. By bringing together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and educators, the event will foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and actionable strategies for embedding sustainability across the accounting and finance sector.

The Symposium aims to:

• a) Critically assess existing economic models and their limitations in addressing sustainability challenges.
• b) Explore innovative financial mechanisms, such as green bonds, impact investing, and circular economy financing.
• c) Discuss advancements in accounting, including integrated reporting and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics.
• d) Promote policy recommendations that encourage sustainable business practices and regulatory frameworks.
• e) Facilitate networking among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to drive collaborative solutions.

The event will also highlight the role of digital tools and experiential learning in sustainability education, and will facilitate partnerships between academia, industry, and government to align their operations with sustainability goals.

Papers may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• i. Sustainable Finance: How can capital markets support decarbonization and social equity?
• ii. Circular Economy: Financial and accounting strategies for waste reduction and resource efficiency.
• iii. Climate Risk and Resilience: Integrating climate-related risks into corporate and public financial planning.
• iv. ESG Integration in Corporate Strategy – How Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors shape decision-making.
• v. ESG Reporting: Standardising sustainability disclosures for transparency and accountability.
• vi. Behavioural Economics: How can incentives and regulations shift businesses toward sustainable practices?
• vii. Regenerative Capitalism – Economic systems that restore ecosystems and social equity rather than deplete them.
• viii. Digital Transformation in Sustainable Finance – The role of AI, blockchain, and fintech in advancing green finance.
• ix. Public Policy and Regulatory Frameworks – Government interventions to promote sustainable economic practices.
• x. Climate Change, Agriculture, and Economic Resilience: A systems perspective
• xi. Food Industry 4.0: Integrating sustainability, technology, and consumer preferences
• xii. Sustainability Accounting – Beyond traditional metrics to include environmental, social and governance impact, and long-term value creation.
• xiii. Navigating Dual Transformation: The Transformational Role of Accounting to bridge green and digital transitions
• xiv. Green Taxation and Sustainability Reporting – Academic perspectives on fiscal tools, disclosures, and incentives for environmental compliance.
• xv. Just Transition and Inclusive Growth – Ensuring that the shift to a sustainable economy benefits all communities fairly.

These themes encourage interdisciplinary discussions on reshaping economic systems for resilience, equity, and environmental stewardship. Additional themes are also  welcome, please consult the organisers to discuss your specific inputs. By addressing a wide range of themes, the Symposium aims to contribute to a more sustainable and just economic future, fostering actionable insights for policymakers, businesses, and civil society.

Delegates come from a cross-sectoral range of areas. They are:
•    members of university administrations
•    teaching staff
•    research staff
•    students
•    members of the accounting profession
•    project officers and consultants
•    other people interested in the field
 

The Symposium is organised and hosted by Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, in partnership with the Research and Transfer Centre Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany), the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania (CECCAR), the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR), and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP).
 

As an output of the event, the book “Rethinking Economic Models: Sustainability, Finance, and Accounting in Times of Transformation”  will be published by Springer Nature, as part of the "World Sustainability Series". This is, with over 50 books to date, the world’s leading peer-reviewed book series on matters related to sustainable development: https://www.springer.com/series/13384. Over 3.500 scientists and former doctoral students have published their work in the series. The peer-reviewed nature of the series means that publications produced as part of it have been officially accepted for promotion and tenure purposes over the years, and as validated outputs as part of PhD Programmes.

The submission is not mandatory, it is only suggested.

There are two possibilities for attending the symposium:

• 1. By only attending the symposium (without a paper presentation): please register on the following form: https://forms.office.com/e/fhYhR1RiQn 
• 2. By presenting a paper: Researchers may submit any complete, original, and unpublished research papers, either conceptual or empirical. To participate, participants need to submit an abstract of 200 to 300 words, along with the authors' names and full contact details, before 30th January 2026. Abstracts should be submitted by using the following form: https://forms.office.com/e/XNWEfefsY2

For those who submitted an abstract: The authors will receive an email with the registration and payment details. In case you already want to proceed with it, please register here: https://forms.office.com/e/fhYhR1RiQn

• Deadline for submission of abstracts: 30th January 2026
• Deadline for registrations: 1st March 2026
• Deadline for full paper submission for the Book (after the symposium): 30th June 2026

To offset some of the costs of the organisation of the event, a registration fee of € 275 (plus taxes) will be charged to delegates (€ 100, plus taxes, for students). The fee includes the coffee breaks and lunches on the two days, and a PDF of the book to those who contributed to it.

• Prof. Walter Leal, HAW Hamburg, Germany
• Prof. Nicolae Istudor, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
• Prof. Cristiana Tudor, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania

-    Prof. Nicolae Istudor, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
-    Prof. Alina Dima, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
-    Prof. Cristiana Tudor, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
-    Prof. Robert Sova, Bucharest University of Economic Studies and CECCAR, Romania
-    Prof. Liliana Feleaga, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
-    Prof. Mirela STOIAN, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
-    Prof. Georgiana Camelia Georgescu, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
-    Prof. Diana-Mihaela Tirca, University of Bucharest, Romania
-    Dr. Joao Eustachio, HAW Hamburg, Germany
-    Dr. Amanda Lange Salvia, HAW Hamburg, Germany
-     Dr. Laís Viera Trevisan, HAW Hamburg, Germany