Grant helps Bradley internal auditing students stay on cutting edge

05/02/2011 11:25 AM

Scripting. While many think this word refers to what actors do for a play, it carries an entirely different meaning for internal auditors.

Scripting, in this context, refers to writing a series of program instructions in audit software such as ACL or IDEA, which executes audit procedures automatically.

“It’s something that’s cutting-edge in the profession,” said Dr. Simon Petravick, an auditing professor at Bradley.

For internal auditors, whose job focuses on analyzing data to improve a company’s management, scripting is a tool of efficiency; it helps the job get done faster.

After listening to various presentations from internal auditors at RLI, an insurance company in Peoria, Petravick said practicing professionals seem very interested in learning this skill.

“I’ve sat in on their sessions and their rooms are full.”

Now, through money granted by the Institute for Internal Auditors (IIA), Bradley University will be able to teach this new curriculum to its students. The IIA recently gave Bradley $3,000 to further its teaching potential.

The IIA has a foundation devoted to supporting the development of internal auditing programs in universities and works closely with schools that are a part of its Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAA).

Bradley is one of only 41 schools worldwide that has an auditing program that is part of the IAEP network endorsed by IIA.

Petravick knows that the grant opportunity will add something to the curriculum that is not found in many other schools and that the addition will be valuable to his class.

“It will be an advantage to the students,” Petravick said. “They’ll be knowledgeable of a very advanced technique in the use of computer audit software.”

Petravick is grateful for the grant money from the IIA.

“I appreciate their support and look forward to implementing the new additions to my class in the fall.”