ASSESSMENTOFACCOUNTINGPRACTICEINWOLKITEUNIVERSITY FINANCEANDBUDGETOFFICE

Abstract

ThisstudyassessesaccountingpracticeswithintheFinanceandBudgetOfficeatWolkiteUniversity,Ethiopia,aimingtoidentifychallengesandproposeactionableimprovements.Focusingonbudgetpreparation,execution,andmonitoring,theresearch employed a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys (36respondents) and interview swithkeypersonnel .Finding sreveale dsystemicin efficiencies,including bureaucrati cdelays in approvals(76% reported frequent challenges),reliance onoutdatedtoolslikeExcel(65%notedinaccurateestimates),andinadequatestakeholderinvolvement(65%citedtransparencygaps).Recommendationsemphasizeautomatingworkflows(e.g.,SAPadoption),enhancingstafftrainingonmodernstandards(e.g.,IFRS),andfosteringtransparencythroughreatimereportingplatforms.Thestudyconcludesthatprioritizingtechnology,collaboration,andpolicyalignmentiscriticalfor improving financial accountability and sustainability in Ethiopian highereducation institutions.