معرفی
Marleen Willekens is a Full Professor of Accounting and Auditing at the Accounting, Finance & Insurance (AFI) department of KU Leuven’s Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB). She holds significant administrative roles, including Research Coordinator of the Humanities and Social Sciences Group and former Vice-Dean of Research at FEB. Her academic journey includes a Bachelor’s in Economics from Ghent University, a Master’s in Business Economics from Ghent, and a PhD in Industrial and Business Studies from the University of Warwick Business School (UK).
Her research focuses on auditing and corporate governance, with emphasis on audit economics, market competition, technological innovation in audits, regulatory frameworks, and valuation of intangible assets like intellectual property. She employs economic theories combined with archival and empirical data to analyze auditor decision-making. Her work has been supported by research grants from multiple institutions, including a study on EU Statutory Audit Reform for the European Parliament.
Dr. Willekens is an editorial leader in the field, serving as Editor and Director of the Symposium for The International Journal of Accounting, Associate Editor of British Accounting Review, and former Editor of Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory. She is affiliated with BI Norwegian Business School and serves on the Academic Board of the Foundation for Auditing Research (Amsterdam). Her professional engagements include leadership roles in international academic networks like EARNet and the American Accounting Association.
- Grants & Funding: Secured research excellence grants from various institutions, including EU-funded studies on audit reforms.
- Teaching: Leads courses such as Introduction to Auditing Standards, Financial Management in Healthcare, and Master’s seminars in accounting.
- Advisory Roles: Supervised PhD students including A. Lefebre and L. Van Cutsem. Active on committees for research policy, campus governance, and international collaboration.
Her research bridges academic rigor with practical insights, influencing policy debates on audit regulation, corporate governance, and innovation valuation.
