Performance audit (PA) promotes good
governance and minimizes misappropriation of public
funds. Based on the need to ensure that government
entities, operations, programs and activities are
conducted in accordance with the principles of economy,
efficiency and effectiveness, the study examined the
factors affecting the adoption of performance audit in
Public Universities in Uganda. Specifically, the focus of
the study was: To examine the effect of financial
resource adequacy on adoption of performance audit;
To assess the effect of auditor professional competence
on adoption of performance audit and; To establish the
effect of management support on adoption of
performance audit in public universities in Uganda. The
study population included all the 10 public universities
in Uganda. A triangulation of both qualitative and
quantitative techniques was used in the study. The study
established that there was a statistically significant
positive effect of financial resource adequacy, auditor
professional competence and management support on
adoption of performance audit. The study recommended
that adoption of performance audit be given utmost
priority in utilizing the scarce resource in all universities;
Internal Audit staff competence should be enhanced by
training in effective IT and project management skills to
build capacity of staff to effectively conduct
performance audits; Management of Public Universities
should focus on ensuring adoption of performance audit
by providing competent audit staff, adequate financial
resources and structuring the Internal audit function to
include performance audit unit. These will facilitate the
Internal audit function to stretch their activities beyond
the traditional compliance and financial statement
audits to include the critical Performance audits.
Keywords : Financial Resource Adequacy, Auditor Professional Competence, Management Support and Adoption of Performance Audit.