The Difficulties of Teaching IFRS in Russia

In recent years Russia has undergone radical changes in all spheres of life, prompted by the transition from a centrally planned economy to an open market-based economy. Dramatic changes such as privatization, the development of private business entities, and foreign investment in the Russian economy have brought changes in the accounting field, including those arising from a decision to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). While Russia has not yet implemented IFRS in full for all types of businesses, it has made considerable steps over the years to introduce IFRS into its accounting system. From 2012, Russia is adopting IFRS fully for publicly listed companies. This paper provides an overview of the changes in accounting education that have ensued from the decision to adopt IFRS, including the educational reforms that have taken place. The paper reviews these changes from a historical perspective and investigates existing problems caused by the transition