Internal Audit Inter-University Championships 2025: A Successful Inaugural Edition
The IIA Singapore Inter-University Internal Audit Case Study Competition 2025, sponsored by UOB, concluded with a successful finals event on 28 May 2025 at the IIA Singapore office. The competition was designed to offer undergraduates a practical introduction to internal audit by challenging them to analyse real-world organisations and recommend improvements based on their assessment of risks and controls.
Launched in January 2025, the competition attracted strong participation from students across all five local universities — National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore Management University (SMU), and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). By the submission deadline of 1 April 2025, a total of 11 team proposals had been received.
Following a shortlisting, five finalist teams were invited to present in person at the final event. The shortlisted teams represented three universities, namely, NTU, SIT and SUSS. The finalists demonstrated strong analytical capabilities, clarity of thought, and a commendable level of professionalism. The judges were particularly impressed by the quality of submissions, resulting in the presentation of two merit awards in addition to the top three prizes.
Each team was tasked to conduct a risk-based review of a real company and deliver a 20-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute Q&A with the judging panel. Submissions were assessed based on their understanding of the business, identification of issues, quality of proposed solutions, and effectiveness of communication. The judging panel comprised Vincent Cheong (Head of Group Audit, UOB), Koh Chin Beng (Immediate Past President, IIA Singapore), Gary Teo (Secretary, IIA Singapore Board of Governors), and Tan Boon Yen (Senior Director, RSM and former President of IIA Singapore).
The results of the inaugural competition were:
- Champion: Team Clementi Consulting (Ryan Adam, Elliot Lee, Keven Chua, and Lucas Lim) from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
- Runner-up: Team CLAT LLP (Adam Tee, Clarence Lee, Timothy Oei, and Lavin Nathaniel) from the Singapore Institute of Technology
- 3rd Place: Team Otitors (Edeline Seng, Edrea Ng Wei Ting, Rui Lin Chew, and Azali Shahdan) from the Singapore Institute of Technology
- Merit Awards: Team Dysfunctional Students (Jamie Koh Hui Wen, Cheryl Ong Wei Lin, Sarah Ong Jia Xuan, and Kok Jie Yi) from the Singapore Institute of Technology and Team Now That’s A Qualified Opinion (Pradakshina Krishnan, Nico Wang, and Kommajosyula Sudiksha) from the Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Members of the champion team described the competition as a valuable first exposure to internal audit, noting that the case-based format provided a meaningful and engaging learning experience.
In addition to the learning component, the event served as a platform for participants to interact with internal audit leaders, gain practical insights into the field, and expand their professional networks.
The success of this inaugural competition reflects the value of applying classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Plans are in motion to launch the second edition in the second half of 2025.
