Issues & updates
CBOK of the Month Focuses on Professional Development
Now that The IIA Research Foundation's (IIARF's) report on the state of internal auditing, A Global Summary of the Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK), is available, IIA members are considering the many ways they can use the data. The IIARF is helping practitioners get started by offering a new article each month on a featured research topic along with a recommended course of action. The information from CBOK can be used to assess your level of professionalism and develop a plan to keep pace with your peers.
The latest article, Continuing Professional Development (CPD), focuses on the importance of staying up-to-date on the latest internal audit practices and developments. "CPD benefits the individual, the organization, and the overall profession," says Cyndi Summers, IIA director of Education Strategy. "Learning about new techniques and trends helps internal auditors enhance their careers and provides further assurance to an organization that its employee is committed to improving his or her competency skills."
CPD is mandated by the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (Standards). Standard 1230 states that practitioners need to have 40 hours of CPD each year to conform with the Standards. In Chapter 6 of CBOK, most respondents say they have achieved or exceeded 120 hours of CPD during the previous three-year period. The most important CPD areas as reported by respondents were training on the Standards, professional practices, technology, fraud, and ethics.
"The CBOK results can be used to help determine where you and your audit department members are in terms of professional internal audit practices and implement appropriate changes," says Jo-EL LaBorde, IIA vice president, Research Foundation. Past articles have focused on certifications, audit committees, and quality assurance and improvement programs.
IIARF Research Report Released
In the latest Research Foundation Report, Rod Winters, CIA, CPA, reflects on his three years as IIA Research Foundation (IIARF) president. During his tenure, initiatives such as CBOK, the publication of the first internal audit textbook, and the production of 60 research reports provided valuable information to practitioners.
Today, CBOK's global integration efforts are underway, with data being disseminated to chapters and institutes worldwide to be used to analyze the state of the profession in various ways. For example, The European Confederation of Institutes of Internal Auditing is publishing a report that compares CBOK information among European Union countries. The IIA will use CBOK data as a touchstone to focus on certain areas and tools, such as GTAG 11, which includes technology-related data from CBOK.
The IIARF report also highlights the IIA-St. Louis Chapter's new research paper about conducting more productive meetings and honors IIA-Barbados member Patricia Belgrave for her outstanding donations to The IIARF.
Future goals of The IIARF include developing strong relationships with like-minded organizations, working with international researchers to gather global perspective on hot topics, and enhancing its bookstore content, payment options, and delivery methods.
New Advocacy Brochure Available
A New Perspective provides guidance on how to elevate internal auditing through effective communication and public relations. The brochure serves as a companion piece to Advocacy: A Common Thread, which examines the IIA's global strategy and the advocacy maturity model.
To reach The IIA's strategic objective of assuring internal auditing will be universally recognized as a profession by 2013, every member should advocate the value of internal auditing. The brochure gives some ideas of ways to enhance the understanding of what internal auditors do, including writing success stories for the company newsletter, planning a community event, and conducting awareness programs.
Another part of internal audit advocacy is to help influence stakeholders such as audit committees, boards, management, and legislators by increasing visibility. The brochure offers a list of news angles and other examples of ways to best use the media as a promotional tool. The IIA's online Newsroom also has a bevy of tools and ideas to help internal auditors get out their message. For more information, contact The IIA's Public Relations department at pr@theiia.org.
