Building a Better Auditor: The CIA Exam Gets a Refresh

Although it is a new beginning, it is also the end of a very long journey that began just over three years ago with the commission of the 2022 global CIA Market Study. Reaching more than 5,100 people across 156 countries, the study’s aim was to gain greater insight into the current market for the CIA credential and evaluate whether the design and features of the program met with the needs of the current and future profession.

One of the key findings from the study related to the structure of the credential and the focus of Part 3. These two elements were considered significant influencers in a candidate’s decision-making processes for the overall credential. Specifically, frustration was expressed across all regions in relation to the difficulty of part 3, as it was considered too broad and tested concepts that weren’t relevant to the operational practices of internal auditing.

At the same time, the IIA was undertaking two other fundamental projects, the review and update of the Global Internal Audit Standards and strategic planning for the profession through the Vision 2035 project.

It was, therefore, a perfect opportunity to use and align the output from all three activities. With an enormous amount of staff and volunteer support, the existing CIA syllabus was scrutinized and challenged, leading to the development of the refreshed version that we are proud to launch this month.

In addition to aligning the CIA with the new Standards, here are some of the key changes to the updated CIA exam:

• The exam syllabus offers a more detailed description of what’s covered on the exam.
• Concepts previously covered on Part 3 (business acumen, IT, and accounting) are no longer tested in isolation, but are now tested within the context of planning and performing an engagement and managing the internal audit function (woven into parts 2 & 3).

As a volunteer with the IIA, I am excited that we are creating a platform that provides even greater support for individual and organizational success while also improving the resilience and sustainability of our profession. As an employer, too, this is positive news for the quality of our future team members and the excellent service we continually strive to deliver for our organizations. Members of my own team are providing real-time feedback on the positive impact these changes are making on their own learning experience.

I am passionate about internal auditing being a global profession and, like many of my fellow IIA volunteers, I recognize, value, and celebrate equality and diversity. Vision 2035 emphasizes that we must do more now to protect and sustain our future pipeline of professionals. So, we grabbed the opportunity that the syllabus refresh gave us and also thought hard about accessibility and the pathways in place to support certification.

The Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP) pathway and temporary designation was developed many years ago in recognition that there are multiple factors impacting an individual’s career journey and that these naturally differed depending on where you were in the world. These pathways should be protected and strengthened to ultimately support CIA success. With this in mind, The IIA’s Professional Certifications Board and Global Board endorsed one additional change to the exam — making the IAP a permanent designation and recognizing this as a key part of the full CIA certification by acting as a waiver for Part 1 of the full CIA certification.

A final piece of progress I am excited to share is in relation to the launch of the new learning platform, Becker. This is a fantastic tool for our learners, which I am rather envious of! Although I am heading toward the twilight years of my career, I can still remember those good-old-days of self-study for my professional qualifications and the many hours of studying from textbooks in car parks, having had to drive my newborn around to help get her off to sleep so I could get a few hours study done (she is now 27 and the mother to twin boys!). I would have dearly loved to have had the technology, tools, and study materials that the platform now provides (although it wouldn’t have helped with Emma’s sleeping pattern)!

All in all, it’s been a busy few years, and I would like to recognize and thank all my fellow professionals who have supported this journey so far. A Warren Buffett quote that was referenced as part of the Vision 2035 strategy work is, I think, particularly relevant here:

Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.

All of your contributions, whether big or small, have helped us successfully sow the seeds for our much-needed future shade tree.

For more information on all the specifics of the change, please see CIA Exam: Why and How It's Changing. Plus, don’t miss a new All Things Internal Audit podcast about the update to the CIA exam: The New CIA Exam and IAP Program.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA). The IIA does not guarantee the accuracy or originality of the content, nor should it be considered professional advice or authoritative guidance. The content is provided for informational purposes only.