The University of La Laguna inaugurated this Wednesday, September 24th, the XXIII edition of the International Congress of the Spanish Association of Accounting and Business Administration (AECA) in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, which will take place at the academic center over three days. The meeting is presented as a unique space for professionals, specialists and students to address the main business challenges regarding artificial intelligence, governance and sustainability.
The program will feature a combination of lectures, panel discussions, and workshops covering areas such as accounting, management, the public sector, new technologies, and tourism. More than 200 people will attend the congress, participating both in person and online.
The opening session was presided over by the Rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García, who emphasized that companies face enormous challenges such as sustainability, artificial intelligence, and human resource management, making the role of public universities more relevant than ever. He argued that, in the current context, where "truth is a narrative that competes with manipulation and disinformation," the role of the university is to offer accurate knowledge that fosters sound decision-making.
For her part, Carmen Inés Ruiz, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism, expressed the great privilege it is for the institution to host this academic forum, which brings together such high-caliber professionals from around the world, including Cuba. She added that the event is also an opportunity "to give voice and face to many of the textbooks that have accompanied us throughout our careers in the field of accounting," while also highlighting the crucial contribution of this discipline to the progress and improvement of society.
Echoing the dean's sentiments, Francisca Carlota Rivero, the Councilor for Finance and Economic Affairs of the San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council, referred to accounting as a true strategy for business decision-making, not merely a calculation tool. She explained that artificial intelligence is also revolutionizing this field and announced that they will be showcasing examples of how this tool can be applied by local governments to strengthen public services and governance.
Serafín Expósito, the CEO of Training and Youth for the Tenerife Island Council, welcomed the participants to the island of Tenerife and the city of La Laguna. He noted that artificial intelligence, the central theme of the congress, is a reality that permeates all aspects of life and is a concern for society as a whole. He also emphasized that international gatherings like this one allow for the sharing of knowledge and the development of joint solutions to the challenges that companies and institutions face today.
During his speech, Leandro Cañibano, president of AECA, thanked the University of La Laguna and the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism for hosting the event, emphasizing the pride of holding it in Tenerife for the second time in its history. He reviewed the history of the faculty, from its origins in the field of economics to the incorporation of the business aspect, in which he himself actively participated. Finally, he expressed his gratitude to all those who made the organization of the event possible.
Finally, Francisco Javier Calero, the president of the organizing committee, thanked the individuals, the organizing team, institutions, and companies that made the congress possible, with special mention of Leandro Cañibano. He took the opportunity to highlight the importance of a program that includes three roundtables and more than one hundred scientific presentations.
The opening conference, “Corporate Governance: Digitalization and Sustainability. A Perspective from the Audit Committee,” was then presented by Sonsoles Rubio, President of the Institute of Internal Auditors and Director of Internal Audit at Iberdrola. In her presentation, the expert emphasized the growing importance of audit committees as guarantors of transparency and trust in a business environment marked by digitalization and new regulatory frameworks for sustainability.
During this first morning session, the first roundtable discussion, “Artificial Intelligence: Professional Challenge and Competitive Advantage,” will take place, bringing together specialists to discuss the opportunities and challenges this technology presents for business management. In the afternoon, the program will continue with various workshops and thematic sessions of an academic nature. The scientific activities will continue until Friday the 26th, running parallel to a program of professional meetings designed to foster the exchange of experiences and cooperation among participants.
This edition of the international congress is organized by the Spanish Association of Accounting and Business Administration and the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism of the University of La Laguna, and is sponsored by the Economic and Social Forum (FES), Cajasiete, BDO, EY, CEOE Tenerife, the Tenerife Island Council, and the Government of the Canary Islands. It also has the collaboration of BBVA, the Institute of Accounting and Auditing, the Official Association of Business and Commercial Graduates of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the Chair of Women Entrepreneurs and Executives (MED), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Spain, and Adquiver.
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