Associate Professor Syrus Islam

Associate Professor & Leader of the AUT Accounting for Social Impact Research Group
Accounting

What happens when accounting meets social change? That's a question Associate Professor Syrus Islam has been exploring since joining AUT in 2016. Through his teaching, research and industry partnerships, he's helping students see how business can be a force for positive impact.

What’s your role and how long have you been at AUT?

I am an associate professor of accounting and the leader of the AUT Accounting for Social Impact Research Group. I joined AUT in 2016, and over the past decade I have built my career across teaching, research, postgraduate supervision and industry engagement. My research focuses on accounting, social impact and impact investing, with a particular interest in how organisations can create and measure positive social and environmental outcomes.

What made you choose AUT – and what made you stay?

AUT gave me the opportunity to combine my passions for teaching, research and industry engagement in a meaningful way. Before entering academia, I worked in industry, so I’ve always been interested in bridging the gap between academic knowledge and real-world practice. AUT's strong emphasis on applied learning and impactful research was particularly attractive to me. It provides an environment where research is encouraged to make a difference beyond academia and where teaching is closely connected to contemporary industry challenges.

Through my work in accounting, impact investing and social enterprise, I’ve been able to develop teaching that addresses real-world issues while also undertaking research that has informed practice and policy internationally.

What has surprised you most about working here?

What has surprised me most is the extent to which AUT has established itself as a leader in the social impact space. Despite being a relatively young university, AUT has developed a distinctive identity through its commitment to creating positive social outcomes through teaching, research and community engagement. This commitment is reflected in the university’s culture and in colleagues’ willingness across disciplines to collaborate on addressing important societal challenges.

When did you last think: this is why I do this job?

One of those moments comes every year when the AUT Accounting for Social Impact Research Group hosts its international student case competition. The competition was originally designed for university students from New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. However, it has since attracted participants from across the world, including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Hearing students describe how the competition has strengthened their problem-solving skills, expanded their perspectives and connected them with likeminded peers who want to create positive change is incredibly rewarding. Knowing that we’re helping to develop future leaders who value both professional excellence and social impact is a powerful reminder of why I chose an academic career.

What does working here let you do that you couldn’t do anywhere else?

Working at AUT gives me the freedom and support to pursue my interests in a truly integrated way. The university values excellence in teaching, research, postgraduate supervision and external engagement, allowing academics to develop as well-rounded scholars rather than focusing on only one aspect of academic life. For me, that has meant being able to combine internationally recognised research with industry collaborations, policy engagement and student learning experiences that create real-world impact.