This Risk & Compliance program is designed for professionals who want to stand firm in exactly that reality. Instead of treating regulation as a burden, participants learn to see it as a framework for good decisions: understanding where risks truly arise, whose interests are at stake, and how to guide leaders toward choices that are both responsible and strategic. Through real-world scenarios, practical assignments, and reflection on personal values, they grow into trusted advisors who don’t just prevent incidents, but help build organizations that are resilient, transparent, and worthy of confidence.

Designed to balance Risk & Reward.

Target Audience

CIRA is intended for:

• Risk Managers;
• Compliance Officers;
• First-line staff who are co-responsible for Risk Management;
• (internal) Auditors;
• Consultants;
• (external) regulators and supervisors;
• Integrated Risk Advisors;
• Management Trainees; and
• Members of the Supervisory Board (RvC) or Board of Trustees (RvT).

In short, CIRA is intended for all those who wish to take an integrated and forward-looking approach to the risks that an enterprise or institution faces in its strategy and activities. Three dimensions are key in this respect: the business interest, the client interest, and the societal interest.

The programme provides insight into the functioning of a large organisation and exposes you to different disciplines. As such, the programme is relevant, for example, for those familiar with financial risks who wish to gain an understanding of non-financial risks, and conversely, for those from a non-financial background who want to acquire knowledge of financial risks.

Participants seek an integrated view and sufficient knowledge of the various financial and non-financial risks associated with the institution’s activities and strategy in order to support, advise, and critically challenge the business, management, and/or Supervisory Board (RvC/RvT). In doing so, they aim to respond to these developments and to new insights in Risk Management.

Results

This certified programme provides you with the following:

• University of Amsterdam (UvA) certificate;
• Insight into the themes of today and tomorrow:
  • sustainability;
  • digitalisation; and
  • combating financial and economic crime;
• The impact of these themes on the practice of an enterprise or institution.

CIRA also provides you with an integrated risk analysis, which enables you to manage or assess an enterprise or institution and its policies. Both business risks (strategic risks) and non-business risks (financial and non-financial risks) are addressed in CIRA.

Certified Sustainability Advisor and Certified Digitalisation Advisor

CIRA offers you the opportunity to specialise in the theme of sustainability or in the theme of digitalisation. You will obtain the designation Certified Sustainability Advisor or Certified Digitalisation Advisor in the CIRA register.

To qualify, you must complete specific practical assignments and tailor your thesis to your specialisation for the oral examination. In doing so, you demonstrate your ability to approach sustainability or digitalisation from a CIRA perspective and to independently assess and advise on the impact of sustainability or digitalisation—both now and in the future—including relevant EU regulations in these areas.

Participants who write a thesis on sustainability or digitalisation for the oral examination, carry out an integrated risk analysis of upcoming EU regulations in this field, map the impact for their own organisation, and propose solutions to key practical challenges qualify for the designation Certified Sustainability Advisor or Certified Digitalisation Advisor.

Start Date

September 2026