Date : 12 September 2025
Timing : 9:00 - 16:00 (30 min lunch break)
Language : English
CPE Points : 7
Deadline to register : 30 August 2025
Instructor : John Chesshire
Online Training
 
 
Getting the most from an External Quality Assessment (EQA)
Every internal auditor, audit manager and head of internal audit has a part to play in their team’s quality assurance and improvement programme (QAIP). Attribute Standard 1300 tells us that, “The chief audit executive must develop and maintain a quality assurance and improvement programme that covers all aspects of the internal audit activity”.
 
To ensure your internal audit function conforms to the IIA’s Global Internal Audit Standards, and its predecessor, the International Professional Practices Framework, regular internal quality assurance activity is required, as well as an independent external quality assessment (EQA) - at least once every five years. However, many internal audit teams have not undertaken such an exercise and many team members do not fully appreciate what is needed to achieve a successful result in an EQA. 
 
This course will help you improve your QAIP, reduce significant findings from an EQA, as well as help you turn this important process into a positive experience that can enhance the internal audit team’s added value, efficiency, and effectiveness.
 
John has undertaken over 40 EQAs in the UK, Ireland and internationally. John will use his extensive experience to help show what does, and doesn’t work, when it comes to EQA reviews.
 
Who should attend? 
This course has been designed to be relevant to internal auditors, audit managers and chief audit executives, as well as key stakeholders such as audit committee members, with varying levels of practical experience. 
It is of most relevance to those about to embark upon an EQA in the next two years, or for those wanting to review and improve their own working practices, methodologies or quality assurance and improvement programmes.
 
Course programme 
A blend of theoretical, technical, discursive, and practical approaches covering: 
What is quality and quality management
The key elements of a quality assurance and improvement programme (QAIP)
Internal quality assessments - common practices and pitfalls
What an effective improvement programme looks like - good practices 
Understand how an external quality assessment (EQA) process works
Preparing for and getting the best from an EQA
Common lessons from EQAs
Challenges involved in implementing an effective QAIP and how to overcome them
The course includes facilitator input, topical examples, short practical discussions and exercises to reinforce the learning and build upon your existing knowledge.
 
IIA Global CPE competency areas covered
Professionalism (Professional development)
Leadership and Communication (Internal audit strategic planning and management)
Leadership and Communication (Quality Assurance and Improvement Program)
 
John Chesshire, CFIIA, QIAL, CRMA, CIA, CISA, has over 24 years' experience working in the internal audit, risk management, business improvement and governance fields. John is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute in the UK, an Independent Internal Audit Committee Chair, and was Chief Assurance Officer for the States of Guernsey until the start of 2021. He has delivered many well-received courses to IIA Luxembourg in the past, as well as to many other European Institutes of Internal Auditors. 
 
His other recent clients include FTSE listed companies, multinationals, central and local government, law enforcement, charities, professional services companies, and international organisations such as NATO, the OECD, and UN Agencies. He is a principal examiner for the Institute of Risk Management and has been a visiting lecturer in the Governance and Assurance Hub at Birmingham City University. 
 
He loves internal audit, is a great friend of IIA Luxembourg and particularly enjoys working in new and emerging areas of assurance interest.