Course Introduction
Data Protection, Privacy and Information Governance Auditing Training Course provides a comprehensive framework for professionals responsible for evaluating how organisations collect, process, store, protect, retain, share, and dispose of information. The programme develops practical capabilities for auditing privacy governance, information-handling practices, data controls, accountability structures, and compliance arrangements across increasingly complex digital environments.
The course examines the complete data protection and privacy audit lifecycle, from risk assessment and engagement planning through evidence gathering, control testing, findings development, reporting, corrective action, and follow-up. Participants will learn how to assess whether information governance frameworks are appropriately designed, implemented, monitored, and aligned with organisational objectives, regulatory expectations, contractual requirements, and established privacy principles.
Particular attention is given to information governance, data ownership, accountability, records management, data classification, data quality, retention, information security, privacy-by-design, data subject rights, and third-party data processing. Participants will explore practical audit approaches for determining whether sensitive and personal information is handled appropriately throughout its lifecycle and whether management has established effective controls over information-related risks.
Modern organisations increasingly depend on cloud platforms, artificial intelligence, automation, digital services, remote working, analytics, interconnected applications, and international data flows. The programme therefore addresses emerging privacy and information governance challenges associated with these technologies, including automated processing, artificial intelligence, data transfers, excessive collection, algorithmic risks, shadow systems, data breaches, and increasingly distributed information environments.
Through practical audit scenarios, control assessment exercises, data-flow analysis, evidence evaluation, privacy risk assessments, and reporting activities, participants will strengthen their ability to identify weaknesses and communicate their significance. The course develops professional judgement for distinguishing compliance gaps, control deficiencies, governance weaknesses, data-quality problems, and opportunities for improving privacy and information-management practices.
By completing this programme, participants will be better equipped to conduct risk-based data protection and privacy audits, evaluate information governance frameworks, assess personal-data controls, test privacy safeguards, document reliable evidence, and communicate actionable findings. The programme supports organisations seeking stronger accountability, better information governance, improved privacy assurance, reduced data-related risk, and sustainable compliance in evolving digital environments.
Duration
10 days
Who Should Attend
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Internal auditors responsible for auditing data protection, privacy controls, information governance, and information-handling processes.
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Information security auditors evaluating controls that protect personal, confidential, sensitive, and business-critical information.
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Data protection officers and privacy professionals responsible for monitoring privacy frameworks, controls, compliance, and organisational accountability.
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Information governance professionals responsible for data ownership, classification, lifecycle management, retention, quality, and information governance frameworks.
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Compliance professionals assessing data protection obligations, regulatory requirements, privacy policies, and organisational control effectiveness.
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Risk management professionals evaluating privacy, information, technology, third-party, operational, and data-related risks.
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Records and information management professionals seeking stronger auditing techniques for information lifecycle and governance controls.
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IT managers and technology leaders responsible for data platforms, information systems, privacy controls, and secure information management.
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Legal and regulatory professionals involved in privacy governance, information rights, data-processing requirements, and compliance assurance.
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Cybersecurity professionals seeking to understand privacy risks, personal-data protection requirements, and information governance audit practices.
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Data governance and data quality professionals responsible for improving accountability, integrity, accuracy, accessibility, and appropriate use of organisational information.
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External auditors and assurance professionals conducting privacy, information governance, technology, compliance, or operational assurance engagements.
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Business process owners responsible for customer, employee, supplier, financial, health, operational, or other sensitive information environments.
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Senior executives, governance professionals, and audit committee members seeking stronger oversight of organisational privacy and information risks.
Course Objectives
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Develop advanced knowledge of data protection, privacy auditing, information governance, accountability, and risk-based assurance principles applicable to modern organisations.
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Apply structured methodologies for identifying, assessing, prioritising, documenting, and monitoring privacy and information governance risks across organisational processes.
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Evaluate privacy governance structures, policies, responsibilities, accountability arrangements, oversight mechanisms, and management processes supporting effective data protection.
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Assess personal-data processing activities throughout the information lifecycle, including collection, use, storage, sharing, retention, archiving, and secure disposal.
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Evaluate the design and operating effectiveness of controls protecting personal, confidential, sensitive, regulated, and business-critical information from inappropriate use or disclosure.
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Conduct effective privacy and information governance audit planning by defining scope, objectives, criteria, evidence requirements, testing procedures, sampling approaches, and engagement priorities.
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Assess data inventories, information flows, records, processing activities, data classifications, ownership arrangements, and retention practices to identify governance and control weaknesses.
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Evaluate privacy-by-design and privacy-by-default practices within technology projects, digital services, applications, automated processes, and organisational transformation initiatives.
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Apply appropriate techniques for auditing data subject rights, consent arrangements, transparency practices, access requests, correction processes, deletion requirements, and other privacy-related controls.
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Assess third-party processors, vendors, cloud providers, technology partners, and cross-border information transfers to identify privacy, contractual, security, and governance risks.
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Produce objective, evidence-based audit findings and reports that clearly communicate privacy risks, control deficiencies, root causes, impacts, recommendations, and required corrective actions.
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Develop forward-looking information governance assurance strategies that address artificial intelligence, automation, advanced analytics, data sharing, emerging privacy risks, regulatory change, and digital transformation.
Comprehensive Course Outline
Module 1: Foundations of Data Protection, Privacy and Information Governance Auditing
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Principles, objectives, scope, terminology, and professional responsibilities associated with privacy and information governance auditing.
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Relationships between data protection, information governance, cybersecurity, records management, enterprise risk, compliance, and organisational objectives.
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Privacy and information governance audit lifecycle covering planning, fieldwork, evidence evaluation, reporting, remediation, and follow-up.
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Key information risks affecting confidentiality, integrity, availability, privacy, accountability, transparency, and appropriate data use.
Module 2: Privacy Governance, Accountability and Information Governance Frameworks
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Privacy governance structures, accountability models, policies, responsibilities, oversight arrangements, and information governance decision-making.
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Evaluation of privacy programmes, governance committees, responsible officers, control owners, reporting structures, and management oversight.
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Information governance frameworks covering data ownership, stewardship, classification, lifecycle management, acceptable use, and accountability.
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Assessing alignment between privacy strategy, organisational objectives, risk appetite, compliance requirements, information governance policies, and operational practices.
Module 3: Data Protection Risk Assessment and Privacy Audit Planning
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Identification of privacy threats, vulnerabilities, sensitive information, processing activities, business dependencies, and data-related risk exposures.
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Risk-based privacy audit planning, audit universe development, engagement prioritisation, assurance coverage, and resource allocation.
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Defining audit objectives, scope, criteria, testing strategies, evidence requirements, sampling methods, and engagement deliverables.
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Data protection impact assessments, privacy risk registers, risk treatment plans, residual risk evaluation, and management acceptance processes.
Module 4: Data Inventory, Mapping and Information Flow Auditing
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Auditing data inventories, records of processing activities, information assets, data owners, custodians, processors, and system dependencies.
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Data-flow mapping techniques for identifying where information is collected, processed, transferred, stored, accessed, shared, and deleted.
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Assessment of information repositories, databases, applications, spreadsheets, collaboration platforms, cloud environments, and shadow data systems.
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Testing whether data inventories and information-flow documentation are complete, accurate, current, risk-based, and appropriately maintained.
Module 5: Personal Data Collection, Use and Processing Controls
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Auditing personal-data collection practices, processing purposes, necessity, proportionality, transparency, and documented organisational requirements.
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Evaluation of controls governing lawful and authorised data processing across customer, employee, supplier, operational, and digital service environments.
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Assessment of excessive collection, secondary use, unauthorised processing, incompatible purposes, data minimisation, and information-use restrictions.
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Testing processing controls through documentation review, interviews, walkthroughs, sampling, system evidence, and analysis of actual information practices.
Module 6: Data Subject Rights and Privacy Request Management
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Audit assessment of processes supporting access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability, and other applicable individual information rights.
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Evaluation of request intake, identity verification, case management, response timelines, approvals, exemptions, documentation, and escalation controls.
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Testing the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and security of information provided in response to privacy and information rights requests.
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Monitoring request volumes, recurring issues, overdue cases, complaints, root causes, control weaknesses, and opportunities for improving privacy operations.
Module 7: Consent, Transparency and Privacy Communication Auditing
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Evaluation of consent mechanisms, consent records, withdrawal processes, preference management, and controls supporting demonstrable privacy choices.
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Auditing privacy notices, transparency statements, collection communications, disclosures, user interfaces, and information provided to individuals.
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Assessment of consent validity, purpose specificity, recordkeeping, user choice, communication clarity, and appropriate management of changing processing purposes.
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Testing consistency between published privacy information, internal policies, system configurations, actual processing activities, and operational practices.
Module 8: Data Security, Access and Confidentiality Assurance
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Auditing access controls protecting personal and sensitive information across applications, databases, networks, endpoints, cloud platforms, and repositories.
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Evaluation of authentication, authorisation, privileged access, segregation of duties, access reviews, account management, and confidentiality controls.
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Assessment of encryption, secure transmission, data loss prevention, removable media, endpoint protection, and other information protection mechanisms.
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Testing access and confidentiality controls for inappropriate privileges, dormant accounts, unauthorised disclosure, excessive access, and policy exceptions.
Module 9: Data Retention, Records Management and Secure Disposal
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Auditing data retention schedules, lifecycle requirements, storage limitations, archival processes, legal holds, and documented information disposal practices.
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Evaluation of controls preventing unnecessary retention, uncontrolled duplication, indefinite storage, obsolete information, and inconsistent disposal across systems.
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Assessment of secure deletion, destruction, anonymisation, archival, backup retention, and disposal verification across physical and digital environments.
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Testing whether retention and disposal practices align with business requirements, privacy obligations, records policies, legal requirements, and documented risk assessments.
Module 10: Third-Party Processing, Cloud Services and Data Transfers
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Auditing privacy and information governance risks associated with vendors, processors, contractors, cloud providers, platforms, and technology partners.
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Evaluation of third-party due diligence, contractual privacy requirements, processing instructions, security commitments, audit rights, and assurance reporting.
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Assessment of international and cross-border data transfers, transfer mechanisms, jurisdictional risks, access arrangements, and information governance responsibilities.
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Monitoring third-party compliance, subcontractor relationships, processing changes, incidents, contractual exceptions, and remediation of identified privacy weaknesses.
Module 11: Data Quality, Data Governance and Information Integrity
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Data quality dimensions including accuracy, completeness, consistency, validity, timeliness, uniqueness, reliability, and fitness for intended organisational purposes.
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Auditing data governance structures, stewardship responsibilities, master data management, data ownership, data standards, and quality monitoring.
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Evaluation of controls over data reconciliation, transformation, migration, integration, interfaces, reporting, and system-generated information.
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Identifying data-quality weaknesses that could create privacy, operational, regulatory, financial, analytical, or decision-making risks for the organisation.
Module 12: Privacy Incident, Breach and Information Risk Management
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Auditing privacy incident management processes covering identification, classification, escalation, investigation, containment, notification, and recovery.
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Evaluation of personal-data breach detection, response procedures, documentation, communication, evidence preservation, and management oversight.
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Assessment of incident lessons learned, root cause analysis, corrective actions, recurring trends, control improvements, and post-incident assurance.
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Testing organisational preparedness for data breaches, accidental disclosures, cyber incidents, insider misuse, lost devices, and unauthorised information access.
Module 13: Privacy by Design, Technology and Emerging Data Risks
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Auditing privacy-by-design and privacy-by-default practices within software development, digital transformation, technology procurement, and system implementation.
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Assessment of artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative AI, automated decision-making, profiling, and algorithmic processing from a privacy perspective.
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Emerging information risks associated with Internet of Things devices, biometrics, facial recognition, connected platforms, APIs, and large-scale analytics.
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Evaluating technology governance processes for identifying privacy risks early, implementing safeguards, documenting decisions, and monitoring emerging exposures.
Module 14: Data Analytics, Monitoring and Continuous Privacy Assurance
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Application of data analytics to identify unusual information access, excessive processing, retention exceptions, data duplication, and privacy control anomalies.
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Auditing system logs, access records, processing inventories, data quality reports, privacy requests, incidents, and other information governance evidence.
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Continuous monitoring techniques for privacy controls, data-processing activities, access exceptions, retention compliance, and emerging information risks.
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Development of privacy assurance dashboards, key risk indicators, control metrics, exception reporting, and management information for ongoing oversight.
Module 15: Privacy Audit Evidence, Findings, Reporting and Remediation
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Principles of sufficient, appropriate, reliable, relevant, objective, traceable, and securely handled evidence for privacy and information governance audits.
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Development of audit findings addressing criteria, condition, cause, effect, privacy implications, control weaknesses, risk exposure, and supporting evidence.
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Preparing clear audit reports that communicate technical privacy issues and information governance weaknesses to management and senior stakeholders.
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Corrective action planning, root cause analysis, ownership, deadlines, effectiveness verification, follow-up testing, and escalation of unresolved privacy risks.
Module 16: Advanced Information Governance Assurance and Future Privacy Strategy
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Integrated assurance across privacy, information security, records management, data governance, compliance, cybersecurity, technology, and enterprise risk functions.
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Advanced approaches to continuous privacy assurance, automated control testing, data analytics, privacy monitoring, and technology-enabled audit evidence.
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Future information governance challenges involving artificial intelligence, synthetic data, advanced analytics, decentralised technologies, automated processing, and evolving data ecosystems.
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Developing a forward-looking privacy audit strategy that strengthens accountability, data governance, resilience, regulatory readiness, information quality, and stakeholder confidence.
Training Approach
This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.
Tailor-Made Course
This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808
Training Venue
The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The Onsite course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, buffet lunch, airport transfers, Upskill gift package, and guided tour.
Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant
Certification
Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.
Airport Pickup and Accommodation
Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808
Terms of Payment:
Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better.
