Ateneo - UPO

The course aims at providing knowledge in auditing / accounting to
properly implement civil law and tax rules for valuations / implementation
of internal audits of companies. Attention is also given to assurance in
special situations such as crisis ones.
The second part of the course aims’ is to provide knowledge in the
accounting / information system of public administrations. Being
acquainted with this system is in fact considerably important for many
professionals, both within (Chief Financial Officers, managers, directors)
or outside (banks, consulting firms, audit firms, supplier businesses).
In support of the lessons the course offers exercises, case studies and
discussions with experts.

The references for the first part of the course are:
- L.P.P.: Livatino, Pecchiari, Pogliani “Principi e metodologie di auditing”,
EGEA, Milan, 2007,
chapters 1 to 9;
- Riva P., “L’attestazione dei piani delle aziende in crisi. Principi e
documenti di riferimento a confronto. Analisi empirica”, Giuffrè, 2009,
chapters 1 and 3;
- CNDCEC ed. Quagli A., Danovi A., Riva P., “Principi di attestazione dei
piani di risanamento”
- Riva P.: Slides prepared by the professor, will be made available on
moodle and in the classroom.
The references for the second part of the course are:
- Borghi A., Pozzoli S., "Revisore degli Enti Locali", Wolters Kluwer, Milano,
2016, Capp. 1-2-4-6-7-8-9-14-17;
- Magi D., Material provided by the professor.
Further information can be found in the web page of the course on our elearning
portal (D.I.R.).

It has the aim to provide auditing and assurance skills. The issue will be
addressed by providing the general reference model shared by doctrine
and practice as consistent with the ISA (International Standard on
Auditing).
Then it will analyze the traditional accounting system in public companies
such as:
1. the main features of the accounting system of public companies;
2. the annual financial statement’s principles;
3. the budget cycle in company municipal and provincial (weather,
operations management , summary of accounting period );
4. the audit: the principles of the revision, the techniques , the role of
auditors in public companies.

In order to pass the examination, it is necessary to hold the basic
knowledge of the business economy (double – entry method, financial
statements and its construction). It is therefore necessary to have passed
the examination of “Economia aziendale” and “Ragioneria”

For the purposes of the learning process, decisive to overcome the exam,
will be theoretical lessons, interactive exercises and workshops with
experts and operators in the sector. The activities required consist in the
study of the lessons and the implementation of teamwork necessary to
improve and deepen the subjects covered in the lectures. This will be
presented by students and evaluated by the professor

Course attendance is optional but recommended as case studies will be
presented, experts invited to speak and workshops conducted. All the
above activities facilitate learning.
Only for the first part of the course, the frequency of the three seminars
in syllabus and three additional seminars chosen from the professor’
proposal at the beginning of the course will be entitled to 1 point to be
added to the final vote. Likewise, the two teamwork which will be
proposed by the professor during the course will be able to permit, after
the positive assessment of the work, the achievement of further 2 points
(1 for each work) to be added to the final vote.
At the end of the course, for those who are interested in audit, there’s the
possibility to evaluate a stage in professional offices and auditing firms,
indicating their availability to the professor.
Finally, students that would like to draft their own thesis in audit and
assurance can ask to professor to participate at the research activity of
the OCRI - Crisis and Business Recovery Observatory, of the Universities
of Bergamo, Bocconi, UPO and Milan SAF.
The professor will be available to students weekly on Monday at 01:00
pm. You can also contact professors and lecturers after class, and by email
at: patrizia.riva@uniupo.it

The examination consists of a written test composed of open answers
and exercises. For the purposes of the examination, the student must
demonstrate that he has known and understood at least the basic
concepts, he must be able to expose the acquired concepts in a clear
manner demonstrating the ability to synthesize without overlook the
fundamental concepts.
A wider understanding of the content of the syllabus, which in particular
allows the student to establish the connections between the various
topics covered, lead to a more valuable assessment; to achieve a high
vote, the student must be able to use independently of his knowledge
and understanding of the content of teaching in order to address a
thorough discussion on critical aspects of the subjects covered and to
present its conclusions in a clear and logical mode.
The written exam can be taken in two different ways:
1. by taking partial intermediate tests.
Students who have attended course lectures will be able to take two
partial tests.
Each test shall be respectively on the syllabus of the first part and on the
syllabus of the second part.
Students can be accessed to the second partial test only if the first partial
test has been passed with a grade of at least 18/30. The final grade will
be automatically assigned after passing both written tests (calculated as
the weighted average of the two tests). The grade must be recorded, or
otherwise forfeit, in one of the three examinations of the winter session.
Only for the first part of the course, the frequency of the three seminars
in syllabus and three additional seminars chosen from the professor’
proposal at the beginning of the course will be entitled to 1 point to be
added to the final vote. Likewise, the two teamwork which will be
proposed by the professor during the course will be able to permit, after
the positive assessment of the work, the achievement of further 2 points
(1 for each work) to be added to the final vote.
2. by taking a general examination.
Students who fail partial test, or who choose the general examination,
must pass a written test on the entire syllabus.

During the course, the following issues will be discussed:
First part (Prof. Riva)
1. introduction and methodology of auditing;
2. the historical evolution of auditing;
3. independence of the auditor: The ethical dilemma;
4. the audit methodology applied to the financial statements;
5. reliability requirements of the Information System;
6. requirements of the organizational system: the internal audit fuction;
7. the cicle/processes approach;
8. the audit documentation used by the audit company (workshop with an
expert);
9. the audit program (workshop with an expert);
10. the risk model of auditing;
11. the materiality;
12. big audit firms documentation – some examples presented by
partners invited (workshop with an expert);
13. assurance in special situation and in crisis context;
14. presentation of empirical research of the University of Eastern
Piedmont (workshop with an expert);
15. teamwork presentation.

Second part (Prof. Maggi)
1. purpose, object and method of the financial accounting system;
2. The system of functioning of financial accounts;
3. the input and expenditure phases;
4. residues, economies, diseconomies;
5. the administrative result and its application;
6. the local authorities’ budget;
7. the budget balance;
8. audits procedure and statements to the budget;
9. the consumptive financial statements;
10. audits procedure and statements to the consumptive financial
statements.

The students will be able to face the world of audit by learning the basic
instruments, having made the general review model. They will have had
the opportunity to meet operators and professionals and to discuss mail
topics with them, also experimenting how to build audit working papers.