APU's School For Accounting And Finance Listed Into Prestigious IIA Global Program

Only Malaysian university to be recognised and listed among 34 universities globally in the ‘IIA Internal Audit Academic Awareness Program’

​Today's financial sector is undergoing radical shifts caused by disruptive technologies such as AI and innovative financial models driven by FinTech. Against this backdrop, future accountants and financial professionals need to acquire the right professional qualifications further enhanced by global accreditation.

Recently, APU’s BA (Hons) In Accounting and Finance with a specialism in Internal Audit has been recognised by The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA) as the first and only University in Malaysia to be listed as one of a select few in the ‘IIA Internal Audit Academic Awareness Program’.

The IIA Internal Audit Academic Awareness Program acknowledges universities teaching Internal Auditing as a standalone Internal Audit course such as Principles of Internal Auditing or Operational Auditing. The programme provides students with an introduction to the profession and key activities of an entry level internal auditor. Students graduating from Internal Audit specialism are given knowledge and competency to face the growing needs of industry and to enhance their employability through an audit career in line with the Industrial Revolution 4.0.



Established in 1941, IIA is an international professional association with global headquarters in Florida, USA. The IIA is the internal audit profession's global voice, recognized authority, and principal educator covering internal auditing, risk management, governance, internal control, information technology audit, education, and security.

Head, School of Accounting and Finance, Prof Dr Nafis Alam said that this remarkable achievement has set a benchmark for our Internal Audit program which is recognized by global professional bodies.

“The recognition is a testament that our syllabus and delivery is at par with reputable global higher education institutions. This will also provide our Internal Audit (IA) graduates to stand out in the job market with the necessary IA skills. The IIA Academic Awareness Program will provide opportunities to our staff and students to network with other educators and students learning internal auditing to share ideas and resources,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader, Mr Suresh Balasingam said this achievement will leverage the teaching and learning development in the internal audit program.

“IIA recognizes that the teaching of internal auditing is not a common commitment for all Universities. However, students who are looking for better career prospect can make a big impact by improving their knowledge of internal audit. Likewise, the Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAEP) program provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to conduct basic internal audits as soon as they are hired, as well as a foundation for beginning preparation for the Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) examination,” he said.

Besides APU, Athens University of Economics & Business, California State University Sacramento, Universidad de El Salvador, and University of New Mexico are among a select 34 universities worldwide who have achieved the ‘IIA Internal Audit Academic Awareness Program’ status.

Other benefits which can be enjoyed by APU students are as follows:

• Universities participating have access to various materials for use in the classroom.
• Enhanced opportunities to network with other educators teaching internal auditing to share ideas and materials.
• Employers consult The IIA’s list of universities teaching internal auditing as they consider the degree of internal audit education they seek for their “New Hires”.

Congratulations to the School of Accounting and Finance for their consistent efforts to obtain more professional recognitions. Keep up the great work!