Internal auditors adapt to new ways of learning with virtual sessions

Internal auditors adapt to new ways of learning with virtual sessions

The Institute of Internal Auditors Qatar chapter transitioned to virtual seminars and training for the last year by inviting top global internal audit leaders, audit practitioners, and technology professionals considering member's health and safety and strict compliance with regulatory requirements.

"Internal auditors are experimenting and learning, and now it allows us to become more creative as we engage online together. IIA Global's support system has very high-placed leaders and internal audit practitioners worldwide willing to share their knowledge by spending valuable time and resources. Qatar chapter is in accelerated learning with over 100 members attending each of 17 training sessions held since June 2020," said Adel al-Hashmi, Chapter President.

The sessions were captivating, with the guest speaker's presentation followed by Q&A sessions. The Chapter managed to get the topmost leaders  President and CEO of the IIA Global Richard Chambers and Global Chair of the IIA, Jenitha John. The topics were visionary on disruption and a decade ahead and reimagining resilience, both related to internal audit preparedness in the next normal.

There were five Cybersecurity and IT security training covering technology risks, IT audit essentials for a post-Covid world, Cybercrimes during the pandemic, Artificial Intelligence Vs. Auditing and Cybersecurity challenges for auditors. The trainers in this segment were Narasimhan, Vittal Raj, Dr. Rama, Susan Paul, and Frank Yam.

The talks on the future of internal auditing attracted the maximum audience. Shagen Ganesan presented audit of the future, Larry Harrington on transforming internal Audit, Hal Garyn about Internal Auditors relevance at risk,  and Harold Silverman shared practical tips of Future of Remote Auditing. Micheal Fucilli, as a specialist, provided deep insights about How internal audits should make an impact in organizations.

Risk, Controls, and Compliance was another segment for training. The presentations were A decade of heightened scrutiny by Anton Wyk, Risk Management for success from Norman Marks, and Risk Assessment techniques by Alaba Awolaja.

There was a session on Fraud risk assessment and response by Victor Hartman and Dr. Sri and a special presentation on Cost rationalization during the crisis by Naren Aneja

"The educational sessions focused on knowledge sharing was a game-changer for the Chapter. Despite all odds, Chapter added 148 new members, and registration for the IIA's flagship examination Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) had seen a huge surge. The IIA Global recognized Chapter with an incentive for promoting qualification amongst members," said Sundaresan Rajeswar, IIA Qatar Board member who coordinated the webinars for the Chapter.

May is celebrated as International Internal Audit Awareness Month to spread the word about the value internal auditing brings to organizations. Internal auditing is a vital component of organizational success achieved through independence and objectivity, nurture relationships with stakeholder groups, and complying with the Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing. The IIA Qatar chapter participates in the 'Building Awareness Champion' recognition by professional activities and public relations.