UTS Accounting Academic Named Australia’s Best

Associate Professor Amanda White from the UTS Business School has been named Accounting Academic of the Year at the 2026 Australian Accounting Awards, presented on Friday night. She was recognised alongside finalists from universities across the country, including Queensland University of Technology, the University of Western Australia, RMIT University and UNSW, taking home the top prize for her outstanding contributions to accounting education in Australia and beyond.

The Australian Accounting Awards, run by Accountants Daily, are the premier celebration of excellence in the Australian accounting profession. The Academic of the Year award recognises educators who have made a significant impact on the knowledge, skills and professional development of accounting students.

Free textbooks for thousands of students

One of Associate Professor White’s most celebrated contributions is the development of two freely available first-year accounting textbooks. Since 2022, these open educational resources have saved students close to $3 million in textbook costs, reaching more than 12,000 UTS students as well as countless learners around the world.

The textbooks are unique in another respect: they are the only accounting texts to include content on Indigenous Australians and the discipline of accounting; covering both the historical misuse of accounting and the ways in which accounting and business skills are today supporting First Nations self-determination. They also highlight the diverse, multicultural roots of accounting across ancient civilisations, beyond the traditional focus on European origins.

Technology and social media as teaching tools

Known to students worldwide as ‘Amanda Loves to Audit’; Associate Professor White has spent more than a decade building an educational YouTube presence, amassing 121,000 subscribers and more than 8 million views. Her channel provides accessible, high-quality explanations of accounting and auditing concepts, supporting learners at both university and professional certification levels globally.

Her use of Instagram and TikTok has further extended her reach, demystifying university study and career pathways in accounting, and fostering a sense of belonging among students. Collaborations with professional bodies such as Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand have attracted more than 20,000 views.

Within UTS, Associate Professor White has developed interactive AI-powered chatbots for on-demand student support and leveraged generative AI to help students connect accounting knowledge to their own career aspirations building what she describes as ‘intrinsic motivation’ to engage with the discipline. Her first-year subject, Accounting and Accountability, has been rated the top large Business faculty subject at UTS for five consecutive semesters from 2022 to 2025.

Peer mentoring at the heart of the curriculum

Associate Professor White has also embedded a structured peer mentoring model directly into first-year accounting tutorials at UTS. Through the Business Mentor program, every first-year accounting tutorial is supported by a trained senior student who draws on their own lived experience to guide and encourage new students. The program has helped increase students sense of belonging and confidence, while developing leadership, coaching and communication skills in the mentors themselves.

The impact of this initiative is visible in enrolment figures: accounting major enrolments at UTS have grown by 28% from 2023 to 2026.

Industry and professional leadership

Beyond the classroom, Associate Professor White serves as a board member of the Education Board at Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, where she provides governance and strategic leadership over the CA program, including academic integrity, quality assurance and the development of pathway programs such as CA Fundamentals and Foundations.

The 2026 Australian Accounting Awards were held on Friday, 13 June 2026. A full list of winners and finalists is available at accountantsdaily.com.au.