The effect of audit training in universities on the audit expectation gap

Abstract

The audit expectation gap (AEG) is a phenomenon where there is a difference between what people expect of auditors and what they can do. This research was conducted in 2023 with 336 university students in Vietnam to assess the effect of university training on the AEG related to auditors'  responsibilities. The reliability of the scale and the average difference between student groups were tested using SPSS 29 software. The results showed that AEG exists among accounting students who have studied auditing subjects. Most of these students have higher expectations than other students. This  study also revealed that the university's auditing program and auditing courses effectively narrowed the AEG to two in nine auditor's responsibilities and one in nine auditor's responsibilities, respectively. However, it is important to note that these changes were only cognitive. Students still expect auditors to fulfill crucial responsibilities such as detecting fraud, predicting bankruptcy, evaluating ongoing operations and serving as the "family doctor" of the enterprise. Therefore, training for students can help narrow the AEG about certain audit responsibilities. A better approach is to strengthen the responsibility and authority of auditors. The future of the audit profession depends on the demands of stakeholders and the capabilities of the profession. The auditing profession must accept new demands for auditor responsibilities in the new context. This also has implications for audit bodies in narrowing the audit expectation gap in Vietnam.