IIA training and events

What you will learn

The syllabus for the QIAL case studies, which lead to Chartered Internal Auditor status, is described in more detail here

Chartered members can complete one further assessment to gain the QIAL. It comprises two parts:

1. Presentation: Innovation and change leadership
2. Panel interview

These elements are described in more detail below together with specific learning outcomes for each part of the syllabus. 

Presentation: Innovation and change leadership

The QIAL presentation covers four areas:

  1. Innovation and change (15–20%)
  2. Emerging risk (25–30%)
  3. Leading-edge practice in internal audit (35–40%)
  4. Communication skills (15–20%)

1. Innovation and change

  • Identify and advise on opportunities for innovation to achieve strategic advantage and organisational success
  • Provide assurance and advisory services related to organisational change initiatives to ensure successful and lasting outcomes

2. Emerging risk

  • Maintain awareness of current and emerging risks in internal and external environments (eg globalisation, portable media, cybercrime, social media, cloud computing)
  • Provide assurance and advisory services to enable an organisation to manage its current and emerging risks

3. Leading-edge practice in internal audit

  • Maintain awareness of advances in the professional practice of internal auditing (eg innovations, leading practices)
  • Maximise internal audit effectiveness through proactive adoption of innovations

4. Communication skills

  • Organise and express ideas clearly
  • Customise messages for the audience
  • Employ the technical conventions of language (grammar) correctly so the meaning is clear
  • Uses technical terms correctly and consistently

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Panel interview

The panel interview covers five areas:

  1. Internal audit leadership (40-45%)
  2. Organisational leadership (20-25%)
  3. Ethical leadership (10-15%)
  4. Innovation and change leadership (10-15%)
  5. Interpersonal skills (10-15%)

1. Internal audit leadership

  • Interpret and apply professional standards to the management and delivery of internal audit services
  • Assume responsibility for the strategic and operational planning of internal audit services
  • Act as an advocate for internal audit and the contribution it makes to organisational effectiveness
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders of internal audit
  • Establish and implement appropriate arrangements for a continuous quality assurance and improvement program for internal audit
  • Support the delivery of internal audit services


2. Organisational leadership

  • Contribute to the coordinated provision of assurance across an organisation to ensure consistent and coherent coverage
  • Engage emotional intelligence to empathize with others and understand their motivations
  • Wield personal influence to maximise impact


3. Ethical leadership

  • Demonstrate ethical leadership
  • Maintain professional integrity and objectivity

4. Innovation and change leadership

  • Identify and advise on opportunities for innovation for the purpose of strategic advantage and organisational success
  • Provide assurance and advisory services related to organisational change initiatives to ensure successful and lasting outcomes

5. Interpersonal skills

  • Demonstrate dynamic communication skills when engaging with a range of different audiences

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Read the full QIAL syllabus (pdf 16 pages)