INNOVATIONS WITH SHORT COURSES ABROAD Accounting and conflict resolution in Ireland

Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to the special issue by sharing reflections on and best practices derived from the successful five-year iteration of a semester-long, hybrid, international accounting course which centers on a short-term cultural immersion component in Ireland. The course provides students with an opportunity to learn about international business and to learn about the importance of tolerance and finding common ground with people. Design/methodology/approach – Discussion of the process the course designer used to combine traditional technical content with a “liberal arts,” soft-skills content and places both firmly within the international cultural context of a short-term, study abroad experience. The paper includes insight into how the authors choose a country to visit, develop international academic partners, administer an international case competition and assess student performance throughout the course. Findings – The paper identifies practices that were successful and implementation of changes over time for course improvement. Originality/value – This describes a unique approach to incorporating a hybrid-based course that was developed to embrace cultural differences while maintaining high expectations for understanding and application of technical accounting material.