Who wants to be a Coordinator? Succession Practices in Brazilian Graduate Programs in Accounting

Objective: To investigate the formal and informal strategies used by Brazilian graduate programs in accounting to prepare for coordinator succession. Method: Data were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with coordinators of Brazilian accounting graduate programs. Results: One of the main findings is the presence of a talent pool largely composed of former coordinators. Other faculty members rarely express interest in assuming the coordination role. Therefore, although capable professionals exist, in most cases there is little motivation to assume the position, suggesting limited incentives for the role. Only one program reported having a structured succession planning process, consisting of pedagogical and administrative courses offered by the university, although these courses had a generic scope. Contributions: The findings provide insights into the factors influencing the attraction and retention of faculty members in coordination roles in accounting graduate programs, contributing to the sustainability of graduate education in the field.