Our Public Financial Management, Audit, Economics Trainings

PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

VOFHA-trainings

This training on public financial management for higher civil servants aims to give participants a broad view on the role of financial management in central government. Generally speaking all starting civil servants in the financial function follow this course, which takes about 20 working days in total diffused in 3 to 4 months.

Participants learn more about the financial function, the role and duties of the financial economic affairs department, the role and function of the budget and its process, macro economics, our social security and health care system, the role of the audit departments and Court of Audit. The training ends with a simulation of the budget process.

Budgetary rules and regulations

Working in the field of financial management within central government means that one has to know the rules and regulations. In this course auditors, financials and controllers can obtain the necessary knowledge in depth. Among others the Organic Budget Law, the budgetary cycle and the rules for agencies are explained. The course takes 4 working days.
 
Other courses that are offered in this field of financial management are among others: the certified public controller training, accrual accounting, business cases, financial administration, risk management and data analysis and visualisation.

ECONOMICS

The economics trainings of the National Academy enlarge ones knowledge in economic institutions and coherence of economics. They give insight in the pro’s and contra’s of government interference and effects of different policy measures. The courses are not only open for economists but also non-economists. Some examples are explained below.

The functioning of the Dutch economy

In this training a thorough insight in macro-economics is given, such as the economic cycle, forecasting, macro-economic analysis. Also the role of the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis is explained. The training lasts 4 working days.

Government economics

In this course public finance is discussed thoroughly. Main focus is the role of government in attaining the most public welfare. Among others the Dutch pension system, the organization of the welfare state, the influence of tax and premiums on the economic development and the sustainability of the Dutch public finances are explored.

AUDIT

For internal auditors the National Academy has a full range of specialist trainings that are tailor made for working within the context of central government. The trainings are complementary to the regular postgraduate trainings. Besides trainings that have been selected as obligatory for auditors (such as on fraud) the National Academy also offers trainings that focus on current actual topics.

By attaining our trainings the internal auditors can obtain permanent education points. Some examples of audit trainings are explained below.
 

The Fundaments of auditing

An audit is an essential instrument in the control environment of each organization. This training focuses on the tasks and instruments an auditor can use with audits within and outside the central government. The total control cycle will be explored and practiced within an example organization. The training will end with a simulation where each participant will make up its own audit report. The duration of this course is 4 days.

Risk management audits

Auditors have a role in advising the management of their ministry or organization in the implementation and functioning of (integral) risk management. Auditors will have to audit the used risk management systems of their organisations. In this course practical tools will be given on how to do this. Themes that are explored in this training are among others the three lines of defense, management control framework, risk models for central governments. The training takes 2 days in total.

Some other trainings that are offered in the field of audit are public sector auditing, fraud control and detection, interview techniques, the psychology of judgements, quantitative methods and techniques.