Chapter 15 tit Et \ t Assurance = engagements and internal auditLearning objectives * To explain the nature and role of assurance engagements. * To describe the characteristics that should be possessed by an assurance engagement. * To explain the degrees of assurance that may be given for different kinds of assurance engagement. * To describe typical work carried out by the internal audit function. * To explain the relationship between internal and external audit, and work of the former in achieving audit objectives * To suggest ways in which the audit function as a whole may be rendered more useful * To understand the nature of audit in the public sector and charities (REA tAssurance engagement: definition » An engagement in which a practitioner aims to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence in order to express a conclusion designed to enhance the degree of confidence of the intended users other than the responsible party about the subject matter information (that is, the outcome of the measurement or evaluation of an underlying subject matter against criteria).