University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire Joins IDEA Academic Partnership
Houston - September 5, 2012 - The University Wisconsin – Eau Claire has joined the IDEA Academic Partnership and received a network license of CaseWare IDEA® – Data Analysis Software to help accounting and finance students gain a competitive edge by working with the same technology used by accountants, auditors and financial professionals.
The in-kind donation, valued at $75,000, will enable hundreds of students to learn hands-on data analysis techniques to help their future employers get to the root cause of fraud, waste and abuse within their organization. The University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire joins more than 160 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. that participate in the IDEA Academic Partnership which is focused on helping students develop critical thinking skills and gain valuable experience.
Professor and Chairperson with the Department of Accounting and Finance, Dr. D’Arcy Becker, CPA, and Coordinator with the College of Business Technical Services, David Nesvacil selected IDEA for its ease of use, powerful functionality and heavy use among top CPA firms and corporations. The department tried a competitor product, but chose IDEA based on feedback from students and the responsiveness of the IDEA Academic Partnership, which provides substantial support and free resources to both professors and students.
“We use IDEA because it’s straight forward and intuitive for students to learn quickly,” said Becker. “Several CPA firms in our area use IDEA and have asked us to continue helping students learn about its use. Students also really like the fact that they can see an immediate use for the software when they begin their careers. It is not a watered-down software that is similar to what is used in practice, it is actually the software found in practice. Employers also appreciate how quickly our graduates can contribute to how their audit teams use IDEA.”
“The University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire is a top-notch institution and we’re pleased they have selected IDEA to teach in their computer lab,” said Dana Newman, Director, IDEA Academic Partnership. “Once students gain an initial understanding of its use, they move towards experiencing its full functionality and how it’s used through true hands-on applications of data analysis. The Online Resource Center, which is available to participating professors, offers numerous case studies the professors can use in their classrooms to teach students how IDEA is used in real-world scenarios. Students take that experience with them when they enter the workforce, and it’s proven invaluable to their employers.”
The IDEA Academic Partnership is sponsored by Audimation Services, Inc., the sole U.S. distributor of IDEA, and SmartExporter. Participation is offered at no cost to U.S. accredited college and university educators. Additional information is available at IDEA Academic Partnership.
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 has the ability to analyze large volumes of data in seconds. IDEA is used in 16 languages in more than 90 countries, by major accounting firms, government, corporations in all industry sectors and by universities as a teaching tool.
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 Software, CaseWare™ Monitor 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.
About CaseWare IDEA Inc.
CaseWare IDEA Inc. is a privately held software development and marketing company, with offices in Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, and distributor partners serving more than 90 countries. CaseWare IDEA Inc. is a subsidiary of CaseWare International Inc., the world leader in business-intelligence software for accountants, auditors and other professionals.
IDEA is a registered trademark of CaseWare International Inc.