Part-time Executive Master of IT Governance and Assurance

Setting

Information Technology (IT) has become pervasive in current dynamic and often turbulent business environments. An increasingly educated and assertive set of stakeholders is concerned about the sound assurance and governance of IT, focusing at how business benefits can be realized out of IT-enabled innovation and how IT related business risks are managed.

Both large and small organizations are looking for IT governance and assurance professionals, who understand and can establish / evaluate the leadership, organizational structures and processes that ensure that IT sustains and extends the enterprise’s strategies and objectives. These professionals require in-depth knowledge regarding IT governance and assurance, but also the capacity to integrate IT governance within overall enterprise governance.

Content

This master program is organized around a set of specialized modules, focusing on deepening knowledge on IT governance and assurance (about 60% of classroom sessions), stretching knowledge toward business strategy, leadership, change and risk management (about 40% of classroom sessions), and integrating knowledge across the whole master program (through assignments, project work and master thesis).

Integrating your knowledge 

Opening Executive Master of IT Governance and AssuranceThe executive master opens with a two-day offsite residential session. Objective of the opening sessions is to introduce the conceptual structure and objectives of the whole program, including expectations, milestones etc. During the opening, key faculty will be introduced and separate attention will go to group dynamics. Assignment, Project Work and Master ThesisThis executive master program bridges the gap between research based knowledge and applicability in the field.

Each module contains assignments and project work, aiming to translate the concepts and theories in the own organizational environment. Also, guided by one of the faculty, each participant has to deliver a master thesis, in which he/she demonstrates an integrated understanding of and ability to apply the concepts of IT governance & assurance. Wherever possible, a team approach is used enabling multi-disciplinary experiences. And last, but not least, whatever topic is under consideration in the classroom at the moment, the practical business experience of the participants should contribute to the discussion.

Stretching your knowledge

Business & IT Strategy, Alignment and Value CreationIn many organizations, information technology (IT) has become crucial in the support, sustainability, and growth of the business, which calls for a specific focus on enterprise governance of IT (EGIT). This module addresses how organization can implement enterprise governance of IT (leveraging processes, structures and relational mechanisms) in support of business/IT alignment and the creation of business value out of IT enabled investments. This module also references best practice frameworks such as COBIT, Val IT and Risk IT and includes a business game on enterprise governance of IT. 

Business & IT Leadership and Change ManagementWhile in the past, business executives could delegate, ignore or avoid IT decisions, this is now impossible in most sectors and industries. Business leadership is needed to avoid that IT becomes a liability instead of a strategic asset. But also CIOs need to demonstrate leadership as an  ability to articulate a vision for IT’s role to the company and ensure that this vision is clearly understood by managers throughout the organization. This module explains and illustrates the concepts of business and IT leadership and addresses the importance of business change management, as in the end, each IT enabled investment implies a change within the organization that needs to be managed. IT risk and security managementThe use of IT can imply a huge business risk.

This module describes how effective risk management begins with a clear understanding of the enterprise’s appetite for risk and the high-level risk exposures of the enterprise. This focuses all risk management effort and, in an IT context, impacts future investments in technology, the extent towhich IT assets are protected and the level of assurance required. Having defined risk appetite and identified risk exposure, strategies for managing risk can be set and responsibilities clarified. 

Deepening your knowledge

Governance, control and AssuranceThis module provides an overview of the basic principles for governance, control and assurance. Topics addressed include the COSO/ERM model, administrative processes and internal control, basics of the assurance process (planning & scoping, fieldwork & testing, reporting and documenting impact, etc.), application controls, etc. Special attention is already given to some specific aspects of auditing and controlling of IT, such as ERP environments. Governance, Control and Assurance of IT Planning, Development and OperationsThe outline of this module is based on the IT governance and assurance framework COBIT.

This framework is internationally recognized and widely adopted, and defines 34 IT processes addressing IT planning and monitoring, IT development and operations. For each of those 34 processes, this module handles the governance, control and assurance aspects in detail.Special Topics in IT Governance & AssuranceSpecial topics in IT governance & assurance address issue such as automation of the assurance work (including audit tools), management audit, certification, etc.

Why choose this programme ?

Target group

This part-time master program is oriented towards professionals who are active in the field and have a successfully earned first Master Degree. The program specifically targets candidates from the business, IT and assurance domain, who are involved in IT governance and assurance, such as business process owners, business consultants, operational auditors, IT auditors, IT assurance professionals, IT quality managers, information security managers, information managers, business/IT relationship managers, etc.

Learning outcomes

This two-year part-time executive master degree emphasizes on acquiring the necessary proven knowledge and practice-oriented skills to apply IT governance and assurance practices in organizations. After a successful completion of this program, alumni obtain the competencies to:

• identify and communicate the company’s IT related business value opportunities and risks;
• apply the obtained skills for preparing and making management decisions in the domains of governance, audit, control and security of IT;
• execute IT related governance and assurance projects;
• apply international IT governance and assurance frameworks such as COBIT, Val IT and Risk IT;
• build a professional and successful carrier as IT assurance or governance professional.