We are excited that you are interested in engaging with ACUA members at the upcoming ACUA AuditCon. Our goal is to provide you with a central location for speaker information, communications, and timelines. Please return to this site often.
The 2026 ACUA AuditCon will be held in New Orleans, LA from September 27 – October 1, 2026.
AuditCon 2026 is ACUA’s premier gathering for higher-education auditors. Institutions today face financial pressure, enrollment shifts, federal policy changes, digital disruption, research security obligations, and increasingly complex operations. Internal auditors are uniquely positioned to provide clarity, confidence, and leadership through this moment of transformation.
While AuditCon welcomes a wide range of perspectives and emerging topics, member feedback consistently points to four overarching areas of need—broad themes that capture the most pressing risks, opportunities, and skillsets shaping the future of higher-education internal auditing. These themes serve as a guide, not a limit, opening the door to fresh ideas and bold new perspectives within the suggested topics that follow.
Major Topic Areas & Suggested Topics
Strategic Risk, Governance & Institutional Sustainability
– Financial Sustainability & Enrollment Risk
– Athletics, NIL & Athlete Employment Risk
– Governance, Accreditation & Policy Volatility
– Enterprise Risk Management & Institutional Resilience
Digital Risk, AI, Cybersecurity & Data Integrity
– AI Governance & Responsible AI
– Cybersecurity Risk & Data Protection
– ERP Systems & Cloud-Based Control Environments
– Data Governance & Analytics
Financial, Operational & Campus Compliance Auditing
– Auxiliary & Enterprise Operations
– Procurement, Purchasing & P-Card Oversight
– Facilities, Capital Projects & Deferred Maintenance
– Campus Safety, Security & Emergency Preparedness
– Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)
– Research Compliance & Uniform Guidance
– Core Financial & Administrative Operations
Audit Leadership, Capability Building & Professional Impact
– Implementation of the New IIA Global Internal Audit Standards
– Internal Audit Maturity & Organizational Capability
– Succession Planning & Auditor Career Development
– Communication, Influence & Executive Presence
– Building High-Performing Audit Teams If you have insights, strategies, stories, or innovations that can help higher‑ed auditors thrive in this new environment — we want to hear from you.
Speaker Benefits
- Conference Discount.
- Connect and grow new relationships in higher education internal audit.
- Grow and build your reputation as an industry subject-matter expert.
- Increase your brand and visibility. You will be featured on the conference website, in conference materials, on ACUA’s social media channels and on the event mobile app.
- Earn extra CPE as a speaker under NASBA standards (up to three times the CPE credits earned by participants).
Upcoming Speaker Deadlines
- May 15, 2026: Call for Proposals closes
- May 25, 2026: Deadline for Speaker acceptances
- September 27 – October 1, 2026: Conference
Tasks to Complete
- Review Best Practices for ADA compliance
- Download the Speaker PowerPoint Template (TBD)
- Download the AV needs and copyright attestation (TBD)
- Submit speaker information (Presentation, AV and Copyright Attestation) (TBD)
Contact ACUA at info@acua.org with questions about your submission.