What is accounting today? Are conventional definitions of accounting adequate for the early 2020s? What definition do you teach? Accounting is positioned in this study as "not" a mere neutral, benign, technical practice. It is also a social practice and moral practice as understood based on the important research of accounting scholars across the past 40 years. The paper supports a new definition of accounting as technical, social and moral practice, proposed by Carnegie, G., Parker, L., & Tsahuridu, E. [(2021a). It's 2020: what is accounting today? "Australian Accounting Review," 31(1), 65-73. https://doi-org.bibliotheek.ehb.be/10.1111/auar.12325; (2021b). "Redefining Accounting for Tomorrow." IFAC Knowledge Gateway, April 6. https://www.ifac.org/knowledge-gateway/preparing-future-ready-professionals/discussion/redefining-accounting-tomorrow]. The era of calculative order in which we live is illuminated using a tailored case study on global university rankings, using the lens of the proposed definition of accounting. It is intended to provide a better understanding globally of the effects of accounting emergence and change to both professional accountants and non-accountants. Readers may ask 'why'? Accounting has not attained its full potential and can contribute to shaping a better world from tomorrow.