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Welcome

The International Centre of Public Accountability (ICOPA) was established in October 2021 and aims to address issues around accountability and transparency across the public, private and non-profit sectors. The Centre will establish and develop a world-leading research group, able to provide impact and influence academic activities, as well as public policy.

It will investigate these major issues through the lens of accounting, audit, accountability and transparency practices relating to public policy by bringing together researchers inside and outside the university along with leading policy makers and practitioners.

A central aim of the Centre is to bridge academia with policy and practice with a view to uphold the fundamental principles of liberty and democracy. Work has already begun here, both in research and in influencing MPs, supra-national bodies, the profession and others.

The International Centre of Public Accountability (ICOPA) at Durham University is delighted to announce its third international workshop: “The landscape of public-service delivery: changes, challenges and compromises in a modern society”. More information can be found here: https://www.durham.ac.uk/business/news-and-events/events/2025/01/icopa-workshop/.

Houses of Parliment

University student
The Centre aims to deliver its objectives by supporting colleagues with grant bids for pedagogical-based research and publishing of world-leading and internationally excellent papers in this area.

Laurence Ferry
Founding Director

Explore Our Research Centre

Our members are highly inter-disciplinary in the named research areas and have been working extensively together in a wide spectrum of scholarly work.

Our Research

We work to address important cross-disciplinary research questions.
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Our People

Get in touch with our outstanding team of researchers.
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Our Publications

Browse our researchers' published works.
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Upcoming events

Global Studies Centre Seminar with Dr Giuseppe Criaco (Erasmus University)

Thursday 20 March 2025 - Thursday 20 March 2025
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Durham University Business School, Waterside Building and Online
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Beyond connectivity: Artificial intelligence and the internationalisation of digital firms

Thursday 20 March 2025 - Thursday 20 March 2025
12:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Durham University Business School The Waterside Building Riverside Place Durham, DH1 1SL and online Buffet lunch from 12:00 PM to be followed by the seminar at 1:30 PM
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Guest Speaker and Launch Event: The Accounting Profession in an Ecosystem of Analytics and Sustainability

Thursday 20 March 2025 - Thursday 20 March 2025
6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
In Person or Online
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Revisiting Geography of University Knowledge Exchange, Innovation and Local Economic Impact – towards a place-based policy perspective?

Wednesday 26 March 2025 - Wednesday 26 March 2025
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Business School Waterside Building Riverside Place, Durham, DH1 1SL
Waterside building

Get in Touch

If you would like to find out more about the International Centre of Public Accountability (ICOPA), please email Professor Mariannunziata.Liguori

The International Centre of Public Accountability

Durham University Business School 
Mill Hill Lane 
Durham DH1 3LB, UK 

Tel: +44 (0)191 334 5200