In the light of international auditing standards, external assessment of an SAI’s functioning can contribute to quality improvement. The problem is that SAIs should be independent of entities they audit and protected against external influences. As a consequence, the possibility to assess SAIs by other state bodies is limited. Therefore, an idea of a peer review appeared, that is a review conducted by equivalent institutions of other countries. Although every audit institution operates in a different reality, many problems it encounters go beyond political boundaries of states. Methodologies and working methods are similar all around the world, that is why peer reviews have become a valuable source of knowledge and, at the same time, an opportunity to exchange experience and identify best practices.
The NIK has been subject to a peer review twice. In 2000, a team of SIGMA experts assessed the audit activity of the NIK in terms of the requirements set by the European Union. While in 2006, the NIK was evaluated by auditors from the National Audit Office of Denmark. The results of the two reviews were positive, and they also provided information on areas where improvements were needed.
On the other hand, in the years 2005-2006, a NIK auditor was a member of an international team (composed also of representatives from the SAIs of Canada, Norway and Sweden) which conducted a peer review of the National Audit Office of Denmark. In April 2011, a peer review was completed in the Slovakian SAI, carried out by the NIK in cooperation with the SAIs of Estonia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. Peer review experts judged the work of the SAI of Slovakia favourably, especially with regard to quality improvement and professionalism of audit activities. What is more, they positively assessed the growing importance and accessibility of audit results, and praised improvements in the SAI’s relations with the media. The report elaborated after the peer review also comprises suggestions on how the work of the Slovakian SAI could be further enhanced.
The NIK intends to continue its participation in peer reviews and to use their conclusions in its own work.
