Original Tender Description
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) regulates auditors, accountants, and actuaries, setting UK Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes. As the UK's Competent Authority for audit, FRC establishes auditing and ethical standards, monitoring and enforcing audit quality. Its purpose is to serve public interest and support UK economic growth through high standards in corporate governance, reporting, audit, and actuarial work. This requirement is for an Audit Qualification Literature Review. Purpose: To gather, synthesise, and analyse existing evidence, including academic research, on the pre-qualification education, training, and assessment of UK statutory auditors. This involves summarising current thinking on changes in financial auditors' roles and their training needs, examining technology and AI's influence on auditor knowledge and skill requirements, identifying challenges for pre-qualification education and assessment, identifying topics for monitoring the audit qualification landscape, exploring responses from other jurisdictions and professions, and presenting a consolidated view of insights. Scope: UK and comparable jurisdictions (e.g., EEA, US, Australia, Canada, Singapore). Sources: Academic literature, professional bodies, corporate/consultancy reports, regulatory documents, and comparative insights. Suggested approach: Literature search using databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SSRN), professional sources (ICAEW, ACCA, IFAC, IAASB, PCAOB), and grey literature. Inclusion Criteria: Recently published, focus on pre-qualification audit education, training, technology, and professional qualification reform, and comparative studies. Thematic synthesis will cover role evolution and skill gaps, professional training responses in other jurisdictions, technology-driven competency requirements, and cross-professional lessons. A workshop will be held at FRC offices (London or Birmingham) to discuss a full draft of the Review with the appointed team, independent experts, and FRC's internal policy team. Authors will revise the draft based on workshop insights. PLEASE REFER TO THE INVITATION TO TENDER FOR FULL DETAILS. IMPORTANT: Register interest by emailing procurement@frc.org.uk. FRC will share all tender queries and answers with registered parties. Submit your tender by email to procurement@frc.org.uk within the deadline.