Page 191 - DCOM509_ADVANCED_AUDITING

Advanced Auditing

Notes
FAD has undertaken IT governance assessments using COBIT and has introduced the
advantages of COBIT in many Government entities. In many entities, multiple assessments
have been undertaken since 2000. So far, FAD has done more than 40 IT Governance
assessments using COBIT. The following is a sample list of entities that had been subject to
IT Governance assessments, where the best practices of COBIT have been introduced
successfully.

Obtaining Senior Management Support
IT governance assessments promoted the benefits of raising the level of process maturity
as a way towards building and sustaining IT governance culture. To achieve the mission
and objectives most effectively, apart from conducting IS/IT audits, FAD mooted an
initiative named Information Technology Governance Assurance Forum (ITGAF). ITGAF
(www.ITGAF.ae) was founded in 2006 as a not-for-profit professional organization
exclusively to promote IT governance in Dubai. This was formed to propagate IT
governance, more specifically, to build, sustain and improve IT governance practices
within the Government of Dubai and its establishments.
Commitment from the Director General (DG) of the Financial Audit Department (FAD),
on the concept of setting up the ITGAF, followed as a natural outcome of thought leadership.
The DG of the FAD assumed the role of the founding chairman of ITGAF and the key
sponsor of the initiative. This gave ITGAF the impetus to design and authority to deliver
various programs, making significant progress in pursuing and accomplishing the stated
mission and objectives.

The following have been formally adopted as the mission and high-level objectives of
ITGAF.

ITGAF Mission
To provide support to boards and executive managements of Government community on
the direction, successful usage and governance of information technology towards
achieving organizational goals.

ITGAF Objectives
1. Promote IT governance practices as an integral part of corporate governance among
Dubai Government community.
2. Brainstorm on the leading practices/frameworks for effective IT governance.

3. Establish a forum of IT decision makers to network and facilitate continuous
improvement on the stated objectives.

4. Facilitate continuous educational support to the Government Community.
5. Empower the audit departments of the Government Community by building IS
control/audit strengths.
ITGAF Activities

The following are the highlights of key activities that were undertaken by ITGAF.
1. Conferences: The conferences of 2006, 2007 and 2008 were focused on adopting,
implementing and sustaining leading practices on IT governance, respectively.
Contd....

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