INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

While the CCAF’s research activities are Canada-based, the subject areas and findings are of universal interest and are fundamental to strengthening the institutional infrastructure that supports good governance and democratic development. These subject areas depending on how they are structured or developped (listed below) can improve or hinder democratic development and a citizen’s access to basic human rights:

• Governance information and related governance and accountability practices;
• Integrated (non-financial, financial) performance information used to report publicly or to support strategic and business planning and results improvement;
• Comptrollership and related management approaches and practices comprising performance information, risk, control and ethics;
• Performance/value-for-money/comprehensive auditing, including but not limited to, audits of performance information reported to governing bodies and/or the public; and,
• Auditing of stewardship, management, comptrollership and other results-oriented management practices.

The CCAF’s international relations activities contribute to the objectives of globalization (reaching across economic and social frontiers) aimed at narrowing the gap between developing and developed nations, by facilitating capacity-building and knowledge-sharing with respect to its domestic findings and best practices.

International Assistance Program for Improved Governance and Accountability

The CCAF’s International Assistance Program for Improved Governance and Accountability (commonly known as the International Fellowship Program) was established in 1980, at the time of CCAF’s creation, with the long-term objective to help strengthen the role of comprehensive/value-for-money/performance auditing in participating national audit offices, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of the performance reporting, accountability and governance capacities of those countries. The Program’s goal is to contribute to better governance and improved economic and social development by transferring methodology to people of influence in developing countries to help improve governance and management for the better use of resources.

Funded since its inception by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Program offers "fellowships" to highly qualified professional men and women from selected national audit offices, who are brought to Canada for nine months of intensive on-the-job and classroom training in the concepts of comprehensive/performance/value-for-money auditing, and the principles underlying accountability and good management and governance. Instruction and practical audit experience are provided by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and the Office of the Auditor General of Québec.

We can proudly state that with the class of 2005-06, 175 "Fellows" from 49 developing countries have graduated from the Program so far. (Click on the map above to access a list of the Graduate Fellows from that country's participating office(s)). Many of these graduate Fellows have gone on to more senior positions in their offices, and several of them now head these offices. An increasing number of participating offices have established effective comprehensive audit units that have gained the respect and support of their legislatures, as well as the international community.

The objective of the International Fellowship Program is to train a sufficient number of Fellows from a participating national audit office that will provide a critical mass of expertise within that organization. To build and sustain this critical mass, the participating offices must make a commitment to the enhancement of comprehensive/performance/value-for-money auditing in their daily operations and to support the efforts of their Fellows. This will include support and guidance in the Fellows development of their Special Project (important part of their learning program in Canada) which pertains to the application of some aspect of comprehensive/performance/value-for-money auditing, as well as the necessary support required when they implement this project upon their return home (click here to view the reports of our most recent Graduate Fellows – since 1999 only). An example of this commitment was the support offered by the Auditoría General de la Nación de Argentina and the Contraloría General de la República de Costa Rica to two of their graduates who helped translate CCAF’s flagship publication Accountability, Performance Reporting, Comprehensive Audit – An Integrated Perspective into Spanish. This ‘international partnership’ has made it possible to share CCAF’s knowledge and research results with a broader audience, which extends well beyond the borders of those two countries. Our publications are available in English, French, and some are available in Spanish

While in Canada, the Fellows benefit from special activities organized by the CCAF to further their knowledge of its research program and related activities. Other events, activities and visits of a social nature are offered to ensure that the Fellows fully appreciate the beauty of the Canadian landscape a well as its unique cultural diversity.

The program has a post-graduate component, providing further advice and assistance to Fellows and their offices in order to continue the momentum. Graduate Fellows are encouraged to network and exchange lessons learned with other graduate Fellows or individuals. Through the enhancement of electronic communication and our Fellows bulletin board, we hope to further strengthen this network of senior professionals.

Other International Activities

In response to the increasing attention given by the world community and international agencies to issues that are directly related to the Foundation’s mission; i.e., accountability, audit, governance and management, the CCAF has also been targeting its outreach activities towards the developed world. We are strong proponents of approaches and processes that provide for opportunities to assess the progress made and lessons learned, explore the potential for further advances, and build consensus around strategies that will allow issues/research to advance even further. If we are to improve the returns on the investments that have already been made, it is essential to consult and bring together key communities with the capacity to progress in these areas.

That being said, the CCAF organizes and attends international symposia on accountability, audit, governance and management, and offers opportunities to exchange experiences, perspectives and plans, and to compare strategies for advancing the public sector’s effectiveness in these areas. Events like these are also meant to create and strengthen ongoing links among those that share similar interests and probably face similar challenges.

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