University of Mississippi Masters Students Gain Hands-On Experience Using Data Analytics Through Participation in the IDEA® Academic Partnership
HOUSTON – April 24, 2019 – University of Mississippi graduate students are learning data analytics techniques by participating in the IDEA Academic Partnership, which donated more than $700,000 in software.
Approximately 210 masters students are using CaseWare IDEA® data analytics software to prepare and reconcile data, perform various audit tests and report their findings. Students work in project groups to share their knowledge and continue building their proficiency in applying data analytics to identify fraud & risk.
“Students understand the value of having data analytics experience and how marketable those skills are to potential employers,” said Mitchell Wenger, Ph.D., CPA, Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi. “IDEA’s sharp, modern user interface makes it easier to learn than other tools. Our participation in the IDEA Academic Partnership helps us move beyond the textbooks to deliver real, hands-on exposure to how professionals are using technology in their work.”
The University opted to install full-capacity, concurrent IDEA licenses to perform audit tests on business-critical data including accounts payable, payroll and expense reports. At the end of the semester, students are assigned a fraud scenario where they perform tests on their own. Students see firsthand how data analytics ties into the control framework of the audit tests. More importantly, students learn how to obtain and analyze data in a way that allows them to make informed decisions. The University expects nearly 250 students to use IDEA in the 2019-20 academic year.
IDEA is a powerful and user-friendly tool designed to help accounting and financial professionals extend their auditing capabilities, detect fraud and meet documentation standards. It allows users to quickly import, join, analyze, sample and extract data from almost any source, including reports printed to a file, such as PDFs. With unlimited file size capabilities and an intuitive user interface, IDEA can analyze large volumes of data in seconds. IDEA is used in more than 90 countries, by major accounting firms, government, corporations in all industry sectors and by nearly 500 universities as a teaching tool.
The IDEA Academic Partnership is sponsored by Audimation Services, Inc., the U.S. distributor of CaseWare IDEA. Participation is offered at no cost to U.S. accredited college and university educators. Additional information is available at IDEA Academic Partnership.
About Audimation Services, Inc.
Founded in 1992, Audimation Services, Inc. is a leader in providing data analysis technology to help companies understand their data, assess risks, test controls, and fight fraud. As the sole U.S. distributor of IDEA® Data Analysis and SmartExporter for SAP®, we help our clients maximize their technology investments by providing support, training and other valuable resources. For more information about Audimation Services, visit www.audimation.com or call 888.641.2800.