Meeting Discusses the Future of Public Auditing and Innovation in Oversight
By Secom / Serint
On October 21 and 22, the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) and the Serzedello Corrêa Capacity Development Institute (ISC) hosted the International Seminar The Future of Public Auditing: Data, Innovation, and Citizenship. The event brought together experts, managers, and academics from Brazil and abroad to discuss the trends that will shape public auditing and its relationship with citizenship.
In its first edition, the international seminar The Future of Public Auditing: Data, Innovation, and Citizenship featured both theoretical discussions and practical presentations on four central themes: Citizen-Centered Public Auditing; Skills and Mindset of the Future Auditor; Innovative Approaches in Public Sector Auditing: Cases and Lessons Learned; Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Public Auditing.
During the event, 73 papers selected by the evaluation committee were presented, 27 as lectures and 46 as posters. The presentations showcased innovative oversight solutions and experiences, with contributions from both national and international experts.
The opening ceremony was attended by the president of the TCU, Minister Vital do Rêgo, who highlighted the Court's commitment to innovation and closer engagement with society. "Citizens expect from us not only the identification of irregularities, but also the ability to prevent problems, propose solutions, and ensure the ethical and efficient use of public resources, he said.
Vital do Rêgo also presented the e-Controle platform, considered a milestone in the TCU's digital transformation process. The tool integrates data, artificial intelligence, and simultaneous auditing, increasing the accuracy and impact of audits. More than just technology, e-Controle is a bridge to the future, bringing the Court closer to citizens and reinforcing transparency as a core value of public oversight, he noted.
The opening ceremony also featured speeches by the Minister of the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU), Vinícius Marques de Carvalho; the president of the Association of Members of Brazilian Courts of Accounts (Atricon), counselor Edilson de Sousa Silva; and the president of Education, Research, and Extension at the Rui Barbosa Institute (IRB), counselor Sebastião Ramos de Castro.
Minister Vinícius Marques de Carvalho emphasized the partnership between TCU and CGU in initiatives involving transparency, leniency agreements, and participatory audits. Institutional integration is essential to strengthen oversight and optimize resources. We must continue to listen to citizens and bring this dialogue to where public policies actually happen , he said.
Counselor Edilson de Souza Silva, from Atricon, reinforced the commitment of the courts of accounts to citizen-centered audits guided by ethics and innovation. Citizenship as a guiding principle, qualified professionals, and responsible innovation, because in the public sector, technology is a means, and trust is the ultimate goal , he affirmed.
Sebastião de Castro, representing the IRB, offered a metaphor about the evolution of public auditing. In the past, we were hunting dogs; then, guard dogs. Today, we are guide dogs, acting preventively and collaboratively, helping managers make evidence-based decisions, he stated.
Lecture on Citizen-Centered Public Auditing
The lecture Citizen-Centered Public Auditing: Social Control as an Ally of Government Audit - The Peruvian Experience was delivered by Nelson Shack, an economist with a master's degree in Management and Public Policy, former Comptroller General of Peru, and former president of the Organization of Latin American and Caribbean Supreme Audit Institutions (OLACEFS).
Nelson Shack is recognized for his international experience in public auditing and for implementing citizen participation programs in oversight processes in Peru. He shared experiences and reflections on how to place citizens at the center of auditing, arguing that social oversight should be an ally of government audit. Rarely in history have auditing and oversight been in times of great transformation as they are now, he said.
The economist also highlighted the importance of the seminar and the current changes in the oversight sector. He emphasized that thinking of citizens as the main clients of government audit requires more than just adjustments to traditional reports: Having a citizen-centered audit means understanding that, just as in a private company, the primary client is the citizen. For him, this implies creating new products, mechanisms, and processes that enable a quick and effective response to public demands.