Sandra van der Laan
BCom (Acctg) MCom W'gong GradCertHEd, CPA ASA
Senior Lecturer
s.vanderlaan@econ.usyd.edu.au
Room 341
H69 - The Economics and Business Building
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia
Phone: +61 2 9351 6431
Fax: +61 2 9351 6638
Sandra van der Laan joined Sydney University from Wollongong in 2001 after a career change in the 1990s. She has formal qualifications in accounting, finance and education.
Sandra's research interests lie in accounting in two broad strands of research. The first centres on accounting as a social discourse and accounting as a mechanism to discharge accountability. As such, she has been researching in the areas of social accounting and ethical investment. She has published her research in a number of top ranking international journals such as Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, Journal of Business Ethics and Critical Perspectives on Accounting.
Sandra's second strand of research is centred on her PhD research. Her thesis, entitled 'An Ineffective (De)regulatory Initiative: The Australian Class Order Deed of Cross Guarantee' examines the economic consequences of the financial reporting regulation that was first introduced in 1986.
Sandra has, as part of a multi-disciplinary team, been successful in gaining a large ARC Linkage Grant (valued at approximately $700,000) examining the role of accounting and accountants in sustainability reporting with linkage partner CPA Australia.
Sandra teaches both introductory accounting and auditing at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. She has also been actively engaged in research into teaching and learning in order to promote improved student learning outcomes. Her research in this area has been presented at a number of international interdisciplinary conferences.
Sandra has reviewed papers for many international journals and conferences, such as Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal and Abacus. She has also been a guest editor for a number of special issues of journals, such as the Journal of Business Ethics and the Australian Accounting Review.
Research Expertise
- Corporate social reporting
- Ethical investment
- Socially responsible investment
- Financial accounting
- Audit fee modelling
- Accounting for corporate groups