The College of Business Administration, represented by the Department of Accounting, organized a lecture entitled “External Auditors: Opportunities and Challenges”, presented by Dr. Abdulaziz bin Ibrahim Alessa, Assistant Professor, and former Head of the Accounting Department at the College of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Imam Muhammad bin Saud University. He is also a member of the audit committees in many Saudi companies, and an expert in the field of training in external and internal auditing in the Saudi market.

Dr. Alessa discussed several topics, the most important of which is the role of the external auditor, which is no longer limited to carrying out tasks related to auditing operations for the financial and accounting aspects only, but rather includes a package of other tasks related to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes (assurance role, advisory role, objective role, independent role).

He presented some examples of scandalous fraud cases, in which he addressed the rights and responsibilities of the chartered accountant, his role in preventing and detecting fraud, and the conditions for granting licenses. He also touched on the most prominent stages of the emergence and development of the auditing profession in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the future challenges as a result of the development of the business environment, especially with regard to the modern role of the auditor in reviewing sustainable development programs.

The meeting concluded by emphasizing to the students that the accounting major has recorded a qualitative leap as the most in-demand profession in the Saudi market. He also urged students to good preparation for the SOCPA Saudi Fellowship Test, which adds distinction to the holder from the rest of his peers, and qualifies him to work in major companies, whether accounting or financial companies, or to obtain a license to practice the profession and open a private audit office after gaining the required experience.

He also stressed the importance of their involvement in membership in the Saudi Accounting Association, which is an independent structure whose goals include developing thought and raising accounting awareness, organizing accounting seminars and conferences, and providing specialized training courses in accounting and auditing.

At the end of the meeting, the floor was opened for discussion, and then the doctor answered the audience’s questions.