Background

In view of the fact that a key factor in the developing, dynamic environment prevailing in Palestine is the human resource, the PASSIA Training Programs seek to empower Palestinian practitioners and professionals to deal more effectively with the tasks ahead. In today’s world, understanding of how organizations are vulnerable to fraud and how to confront fraud is a key challenge for modern managers. The course on Detecting & Fighting Fraud will build a solid foundation in the basic areas of fraud examination and enhance the participants’ anti-fraud and knowledge and skills.

Application Requirements

The training program is designed for participants who have an accounting or control component to their work requirements (compliance officers, accounts staff, contracts managers, procurement managers, purchasing managers, etc.), as well as senior managers, directors and businesspeople responsible for protecting the interests of their organization. Normally, the applicant holds a BA degree or its equivalent. Applicants must be able to commit themselves full-time throughout the required period and to undertake preparatory reading and written work. A good knowledge of written and spoken English is essential.

Program Structure and Content

The training program on Detecting & Fighting Fraud will focus on practical training and hands-on exercises in relevant fields and concepts and is structured as follows:

Preparation. Prior to the seminar the selected participants will be provided with a reading package, which will enable them to become familiar with the course material. Each participant will be required to write a brief paper on a subject related to the seminar. The presentation of this paper will be an integral part of the program.

Intensive Seminar. The five-day intensive seminar will impart a thorough understanding of how to detect, investigate and prevent incidents of fraud, and enhance the participants’ practical anti-fraud skills, from which their organization will benefit. Throughout the seminar, participants will be asked to relate their training to actual issues and experiences at the institutions with which they are involved.

Seminar Topics include:

• Criminological concepts and ethics related to fraud examination
• Fraud prevention
• Fraud detection
• Fraudulent financial transactions
• Money laundering
• Fraud investigation
• Legal elements of fraud
• Fraud in the Middle East
• Case Studies

Conclusion. At the close of the training program, certificates will be awarded by PASSIA to participants who successfully complete the program.

Procedure

Completed application forms must be submitted to PASSIA by Friday, 16 February 2007. PASSIA will then invite short-listed applicants to interviews. Applicants will be notified of the results and, upon selection, participants will have to confirm their commitment to full-time participation in writing as well as submit a letter from their employers confirming that they will be exempted from work during the required period.

The PASSIA Training Program will take place from 3-7 March 2007 at the Best Eastern Hotel in Ramallah. All candidates must commit themselves to participate fully during the entire period.

March 3, 2007

9:15 a.m. – 10 a.m. – Welcoming Address / Opening Remarks

Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi, Head of PASSIA, Jerusalem

10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Report to the Nation

Yousef Salman, MBA, CFE, CPA

11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – Break

11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Report to the Nation contd.

Yousef Salman

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Psychology: Personality and Collecting Data

Dr. Nadia Najjab, Assistant Professor, Department of Education & Psychology / Birzeit University

March 4, 2007

9:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Money Laundering and Banking Transactions

Yousef Salman

10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Break

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Dissonance, Social Cognition, Conformity

Dr. Nadia Najjab

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Fraud Law

Mr. Haitham Zu’bi, Lawyer

March 5, 2007

9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Prevention of Fraud in Organizations and Corporate Ethics

Mr. Hanna Quffa, CFE, CPA

10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Break

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Prevention of Fraud in Organizations and Corporate Ethics, contd.

Mr. Hanna Quffa

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Fraud Investigation and Legal Issues (I)

Mr. Hassan Jabarein, Vice-President, Investigation Department, Hebron

March 6, 2007

9:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Asset Misappropriation (I)

Yousef Salman

10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Break

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Obedience & Compliance

Dr. Nadia Najjab

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Fraud Investigation and Legal Issues (II)

Mr. Hassan Jabarein, Deputy, Hebron Intelligence Department

March 7, 2007

9:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Financial Transactions – How to Detect and Analyze Financial Statement Fraud

Mr. Hanna Quffa

10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Break

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Financial Transactions – How to Detect and Analyze Financial Statement Fraud

Mr. Hanna Quffa

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Asset Misappropriation (II)

Yousef Salman

3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Final Discussion and Wrap-up