The Saudi Internal Auditors Association, in collaboration with Spain's IE University, held today the graduation ceremony for the first batch of the Executive AI Program for Internal Auditors in Madrid, Spain, under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Hussam bin Abdulmohsen Al-Anqari, President of the General Court of Audit and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Internal Auditors Association, and in the presence of the CEO of the Saudi Internal Auditors Association, Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Shubaili, and a number of university officials and representatives.

The program is the fruit of a strategic partnership between the Saudi Internal Auditors Association and Spain's IE University, one of the most prominent higher education and business management institutions at the European and international levels, aimed at qualifying internal audit leaders and enabling them to keep pace with rapid technological transformations and benefit from AI applications in institutional work environments.

The program focuses on automating repetitive tasks, enhancing capabilities for detecting risks and unusual patterns, providing digital insights to support strategic decision-making, along with enabling executive leaders to integrate AI tools into internal audit processes, building governance frameworks aligned with institutional objectives and regulatory requirements, and leading institutional transformation according to a clear and actionable roadmap.

His Excellency Dr. Hussam Al-Anqari congratulated the graduates on completing the program, expressing his pride in the national talents who have demonstrated their ability to absorb the latest AI technologies and employ them in service of the internal audit profession, emphasizing that the program is part of the Association's efforts to develop internal audit practices and raise the level of institutional maturity, thereby contributing to achieving the strategic objectives of institutions.

For his part, the CEO of the Saudi Internal Auditors Association, Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Shubaili, explained that specialized leadership programs contribute to enabling professionals to keep pace with rapid developments in the business environment and enhance their strategic roles in supporting decision-making, noting that the Association continues to design and implement quality programs that raise the level of professional practice, along with specialized programs in governance, oversight, and compliance.

It is noteworthy that the program includes advanced knowledge and applied tools, comprising the employment of AI in internal audit processes, digital risk assessment, supporting the institutional governance system, and enhancing data-driven strategic thinking skills, in line with international professional standards issued by the Institute of Internal Auditors. Graduates are expected to contribute to leading digital transformation within their institutions and transferring the program's impact to work environments, thereby enhancing the maturity of internal audit practices at the national level and supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.