Paul College in the Spotlight at Bretton Woods Conference
Paul College hosted the fourth Bretton Woods Accounting and Finance Ski Conference March 4–7, 2026, at the historic Omni Mount Washington Resort.
The conference brought together leading researchers from top institutions around the world for three days of presentations, discussion and collaboration — with 20 research papers selected for presentation — the conference continues to grow in reputation and impact.
“We’ve always had great papers, but each year the quality continues to improve,” says Stephen Ciccone, associate professor of accounting and finance and executive chair of the conference. “This past year was the best conference we’ve had.”
This year, organizers received approximately 260 submissions — an acceptance rate of about 7.6%.
Each paper goes through a rigorous multi-stage review process involving both internal and external committees, with multiple expert reviewers evaluating quality, originality and relevance.
That selectivity is translating into real academic impact. According to Ciccone, roughly 40% of papers from the inaugural 2023 conference have been published — or are on track to be published — in top accounting and finance journals, an unusually high rate for a young conference.
As the conference’s reputation has grown, so has interest from top-tier universities.
Ciccone notes that Harvard consistently submits more papers than any other institution, alongside strong participation from schools like Boston College and others across the U.S. and internationally. This year’s attendees included prominent scholars such as Harvard’s Lauren Cohen, a widely recognized finance researcher and frequent keynote speaker at major conferences.
“I think it’s been a great reputation enhancer. It really puts UNH and Paul College on the research map," Ciccone says. "We’re seeing strong engagement from top institutions like Harvard, and the feedback has been very positive. With hundreds of researchers and co-authors connected to the conference each year, it creates a lot of visibility for UNH. Beyond that, by selecting which papers are featured, we’re also helping shape the direction of research in accounting and finance.”
Ciccone says Bretton Woods is intentionally designed to foster deeper interaction. Each paper presentation is paired with a carefully selected expert discussant who provides detailed feedback, followed by audience Q&A — creating a highly engaged environment for refining research.
“That’s really where smaller conferences shine,” Ciccone says. “You get thoughtful, high-quality discussions that help researchers improve their work before submitting to top journals.”
The conference prioritizes papers that are still in development — strong but not yet finalized — ensuring that presenters can benefit from meaningful critique.
Bretton Woods was selected to host the conference because of its historical significance. The 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, held at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel near the end of World War II, created the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and established the dollar as the primary world currency.
