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Description

Audit Recommendation Follow-Up: Formalising, Chasing and Closing Action Plans

Move beyond the tracking sheet that is filled in once a year and changes nothing on the ground

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

A well-conducted assignment loses its value if recommendations remain outstanding. The tracking sheet exists, but deadlines slip, action owners move to other roles, and the responses received amount to a "in progress" status carried over from one quarter to the next.

These three hours deal exclusively with what happens after the assignment. They set out how to formalise an action plan that genuinely commits the owner, organise follow-up and verification, decide on closure based on evidence, and report on progress in a way that is clear for governance bodies.

Learning objectives

  • Formalise an action plan with a named owner and a due date
  • Define the evidence required before an action can be considered complete
  • Organise a follow-up process proportionate to the level of criticality
  • Decide whether to close or maintain a recommendation
  • Report on follow-up progress to governance bodies

What makes this programme different

Closure criteria are defined as soon as the action plan is drafted
Long-standing unresolved recommendations are addressed through a dedicated method
A committee reporting sheet is built from data that is genuinely available

Programme

1Formalising an action plan that commits

Follow-up is prepared at the end of the assignment

  • Moving from the recommendation to the concrete action expected
  • Naming the owner and setting a realistic due date
  • Defining completion evidence at the point of initial agreement
  • Handling recommendations that are rejected or accepted with reservations

2Organising follow-up and verification

Monitoring proportionate to the stakes

  • Frequency and format of follow-up reviews according to criticality
  • Handling requests for postponement and changes of action owner
  • Verifying reported completion through documentation review or testing
  • How to respond when an action is declared complete but unsupported
  • Managing recommendations open across several reporting periods

3Closing out and reporting

Giving governance bodies clear visibility

  • Closure criteria and audit trail for the decision
  • Progress and overdue indicators across the recommendation portfolio
  • Escalating blocked items to executive management or the committee
  • Periodic follow-up review and lessons for future assignments

Who is it for

Internal auditors and heads of audit, as well as internal control officers responsible for monitoring action plans.

Prerequisites

Prior practical experience in internal audit or internal control

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.