Preparing for Excellence in External Quality Assessment

Position your internal audit function for EQA excellence under the evolved Global Internal Audit Standards. This comprehensive two-day intensive draws on extensive real-world experience supporting audit functions through successful EQA processes, addressing the transformed requirements and heightened expectations that define modern internal audit excellence.

Gain practical expertise in structuring Quality Assessment & Improvement Programmes (QAIP), navigating the EQA journey strategically, and harnessing artificial intelligence to elevate audit effectiveness. You'll learn to benchmark your practices, identify improvement opportunities, and see how AI can help evaluate EQA readiness before the assessors arrive—transforming preparation from a stressful exercise into a continuous improvement catalyst.

Who Should Attend

• Chief Audit Executives preparing for EQA or seeking to elevate audit quality
• Senior audit managers responsible for quality programmes and EQA coordination
• Quality assurance professionals within internal audit functions
• Experienced auditors involved in EQA preparation or quality improvement initiatives

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Apply critical provisions of the Global Internal Audit Standards to strengthen audit practice across all domains
• Understand the strategic rationale behind new topical requirements and reimagine work programs accordingly
• Design and implement comprehensive Quality Assessment & Improvement Programmes that drive continuous excellence
• Navigate the EQA process strategically from provider selection through to final assessment and beyond
• Proactively identify and remediate common EQA findings before formal assessment
• Leverage AI-powered assessment tools to conduct pre-EQA readiness checks and gap analyses
• Build stakeholder confidence through transparent quality commitment and continuous improvement culture

Course Programme

Day 1: Standards Mastery and QAIP Design

Morning Session: Global Internal Audit Standards Deep Dive

• Evolution from 2017 Standards to GIAS—what changed and why it matters
• Critical domains and principles that assessors prioritize
• Topical requirements decoded—practical application across audit lifecycle
• Independence and objectivity in modern contexts

Afternoon Session: Building World-Class QAIP

• QAIP components and governance structures
• Internal assessment frameworks—ongoing monitoring and periodic self-assessment
• Quality indicators, metrics, and dashboards for continuous improvement
• Documenting your quality program for EQA scrutiny
• Using AI to analyse audit documentation quality and consistency patterns

Day 2: EQA Process and Excellence Strategies

Morning Session: EQA Process Mastery

• Selecting qualified assessment providers—key criteria and considerations
• The assessment journey—timeline, phases, and stakeholder engagement
• What assessors actually look at—documentation, interviews, and work product reviews
• Rating system decoded—achieving Generally Conforms status
• Managing the assessment week and follow-up

Afternoon Session: Common Findings and Proactive Solutions

• Analysis of frequent EQA observations across functions
• Charter and positioning issues
• Risk assessment and planning gaps
• Engagement supervision and documentation weaknesses
• Communication and reporting opportunities
• Pre-assessment readiness: using AI-powered diagnostic tools to simulate EQA reviews and identify vulnerabilities
• Post-EQA action planning and continuous improvement

CPE Competency Areas Covered

• Professionalism (Standards, Ethics, Quality Assurance)
• Performance (Audit methodology | Engagement execution | Quality control)
• Leadership and communication (Stakeholder management | Audit positioning)