Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)

What Is the Institute of Internal Auditors?

The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is a leader in certification, education, and research for professionals engaged in evaluating an organization's operations and controls. Established in 1941, the Institute of Internal Auditors awards the certified internal auditor (CIA) designation, a globally accepted certification for internal auditors.

The IIA has its global headquarters in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and has more than 200,000 members worldwide through 103 institutes and 159 chapters in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.

Understanding the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)

Apart from internal auditing, Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) members also work in areas where this function is a critical component of the corporate structure. These areas include risk management, governance, internal control, information technology audit, education, and security.

According to the IIA, its mission is to provide dynamic leadership for the global profession of internal auditing. To carry out this mission, the organization focus on several elements, including:

The Institute of Internal Auditors' primary professional designation is the certified internal auditor (CIA) designation. By earning the CIA designation, individuals demonstrate deep professional knowledge of the internal audit profession. Globally, this mark is recognized as an expert level standard for competency and professionalism throughout the internal audit field. The Institute of Internal Auditors also offers the certification in risk management assurance (CRMA), and the qualification in internal audit leadership (QIAL) certification.

As a historically significant discipline, internal auditing is often overlooked. The IIA honors this storied function by educating experts and the general public on how historians have traced the roots of internal auditing to centuries B.C., as merchants verified receipts for grain brought to market. The expansion of corporate business and commercial enterprise drove the profession's growth in the 19th and 20th centuries. Demand grew for systems of control in companies conducting operations in various locations while employing thousands of people. Today, many people associate the genesis of modern internal auditing with the establishment of the Institute of Internal Auditors.