In the middle of 2021, the proposal amendment developed by this working group and adopted by the VHB Executive Board to specify the content of the examination area "Applied Business Administration, Economics" was adopted by the Institute of Public Auditors in Germany (IDW) and the Chamber of Public Accountants (WPK) in a joint publication (see IDW/WPK, Die Prüfungsgebiete im Wirtschaftsprüfungsexamen - Konkretisierung des § 4 Wirtschaftsprüferprüfungsverordnung (WiPrPrüfV) - (as of 1 June 2021)). The profession itself expressly emphasises on page 3: "The proactive suggestions of the German Association of University Professors of Business Administration (VHB) have largely been incorporated in the examination area of applied business administration and economics".

The aim of the working group is to represent business administration as an academic subject in the current discussions on the organisation of the audit examination vis-à-vis the profession and politicians.

As mentioned at the beginning, the working group is currently dealing with the implementation of the EU "Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)" into national law and, in particular, with the question of whether and how the planned changes to the audit exam will affect the examination area "Applied Business Administration, Economics". Sustainability reporting - probably as a new, fifth examination subject - will be included in the subject programme of the audit exam. The implications of this are currently being discussed, as are possible scenarios for a future implementation law. Further steps are also being discussed as to whether and how this working group can become involved in the (important) subject of business administration in the audit exam and, conversely, what implications arise for business administration teaching at universities (which generally also apply to future auditors).
 

In this respect, the VHB working group seeks a constructive dialogue with practitioners and offers itself as a central contact point from the field of business administration, particularly for the audit profession.