Date: 13 October 2026

Timing: 9am – 5 pm

Languag: English

CPE points: 7

Deadline to register: 9 October 2026

Trainer name: Isabella Arndorfer

Overview

In this one-day in-depth course, we will build an annual risk-based audit planning fully customized to your organization. In a small group we will provide step-by-step guidance in how to establish your audit universe, determining scoring criteria for risk and control assessments, audit cycle and plan your available resources. We will provide you with templates for establishing your audit universe and risk/control scoring as well as an annual audit report template to submit to your board or audit committee.

·       You will bring your organization's strategy,

·       We will bring our methodology,

·       Together we will establish your customized Internal Audit Plan.

Who should attend? 

• Chief Audit Executives (CAEs) / Heads of Internal Audit 

• Internal Audit Managers and Directors 

• Internal Audit Supervisors and Team Leaders 

• Senior Internal Auditors involved in annual audit planning 

• Internal Audit professionals responsible for risk assessments or the audit universe 

Course description 

Contents:  

1. Defining the Audit Universe: Identifying the audit universe and its scope, defining auditable elements, and prioritizing them based on risk factors and organizational priorities.  

2. Risk Assessment: Exploring qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methodologies; applying rating scales for informed decision-making.  

3. Control Assessment: Evaluating the effectiveness of existing controls using assessment techniques and rating scales to ensure alignment with identified risks.  

4. The Audit Cycle: Understanding the importance of audit frequency in high and low-risk areas of your organization  

5. Audit Resource Planning: Plan your audit team's availability and match it with the required resources for your planned audit engagements.  

6. Audit Plan Development: Developing an annual audit plan based on risk assessment findings, including resource allocation, scheduling, and strategic decision-making.  

7. 5 Biggest Mistakes in Audit Planning  

By the end of this section, you will be able to:  

• Understand the key role of risk-based audit planning in ensuring organizational integrity and efficiency.  

• Define the audit universe, assess risks, and prioritize auditable elements based on organizational priorities.  

• Evaluate control effectiveness and implement best practices across the audit cycle.  

• Develop a comprehensive, risk-based audit plan aligned with organizational goals and resources.  

Trainer bio 

Isabella Arndorfer (CIA, CCSA, CFSA, Mediator) is an experienced internal audit and governance specialist with over 20 years of experience in the financial sector. From 2003 to 2023, she served as Internal Audit Manager in the Internal Audit Department of the Bank for International Settlements (Basel, Switzerland) and the International Monetary Fund (Washington DC, USA). She led and conducted audits in the Banking Department, the General Secretariat, and the Monetary and Economic Department, focusing on internal controls and corporate governance issues at financial institutions.  

She lectures on internal audits and governance topics at central bank seminars in Asia and Europe, as well as at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland). She holds a degree in business administration from the University of Economics and Culture in Vienna (Austria) and a master's degree in international management from ESADE, Barcelona, Spain. She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), a Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA), and holds a CCSA (Certificate of Control Self-Assessment) from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Florida, USA.  

In 2023, she founded the training platform www.cpetrainer.com and has since been offering freelance consulting services in the areas of audit, risk management, compliance and governance through her company www.ia-advisory.com .