Ateneo - UPO

The course is designed to impart comprehensive knowledge in auditing and accounting, focusing on the correct application of civil law and tax regulations for evaluating and implementing internal controls within companies. Special attention is also given to assurance in crisis situations.
In the second part, the course delves into the accounting and information systems of public administrations. This knowledge is crucial for various professionals both inside (e.g., Chief Financial Officers, managers, directors) and outside (e.g., banks, consulting firms, audit firms, supplier businesses) of public institutions. The course includes exercises, case studies, and discussions with experts to support learning.

Students are also invited to the conference "Women at the top. The courage to dare" organized by the teacher, to whom was invited the CEO of Illy Caffè S.p.A., Dr Cristina Scocchia.

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 1-9.
- CNDCEC: Quagli A., Danovi A., Riva P., Principi di attestazione dei piani di risanamento (2024).
- Riva P.: Slides prepared by the professor, 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, Milan, 2016, Chapters 1-2-4-6-7-8-9-14-17.
-Maggi D.: Materials provided by the professor.
Further information is available on the course's webpage on the e-learning 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.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

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 the review;
2. the relevance of the appropriate arrangements.
3. auditor’s independence: the ethical dilemma;
4. the audit methodology applied to the financial statements; the reliability requirements of the information system;
5. organizational system requirements means the internal control system;
6. the cycle/ process approach;
7. the revision risk model;
8. the significance of errors;
9. The stages of the revision work. The planning and revision program. Testimony
10. the working papers used by the auditing firm (testimony by professionals);
11. The assurance. the audit carried out by the attestator of the plans of the companies in crisis. the principles of attestation (first part).
12. The assurance. the audit carried out by the attestator of the plans of the companies in crisis. the principles of attestation (second part).
13. the audit carried out by the certifier and the commissioner of plans of companies in crisis. Testimony.
14. Group Work Presentation - Final Exercise.
15. Group Work Presentation - Final Exercise.

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.

INTEGRATION OF THE GENDER DIMENSION
The course pays attention to the topic of gender integration. In order to create an opportunity for concrete debate on the topic of gender equality, women who hold the role of partners in leading auditing firms have been invited to meet the students.

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.