AIPM - Course Endorsement

Australian Institute of Project Management

Course Endorsement

Terms and Conditions for AIPM Endorsement Logos

COURSE PROVIDER’S GUIDE TO ENDORSEMENT

INTRODUCTION
HOW LONG DOES ENDORSEMENT LAST?
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE ENDORSED?
WHO WILL AIPM ENDORSE?
WHAT ARE OUR GOALS?
OUR OBJECTIVES
AIPM, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND MEMBERSHIP
REGPM
WHAT WILL AIPM ENDORSE?
HOW DO YOU BECOME ENDORSED?
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE AND MATERIAL REQUIRED
QUALIFICATIONS OF TRAINERS, FACILITATORS AND INSTRUCTORS
ENDORSEMENT VISITS
SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL CHANGE
APPEALS AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION
ATTACHMENTS
- Private and TAFE Provider’s checklist for Course Endorsement
- University Provider’s checklist for Course Endorsement
- Course Endorsement Submission Form
- Course Provider Fees
  - Application fee
  - Endorsement fee
  - Definitions

1. Introduction

This information is provided for any course provider who would like to have their Project Management courses endorsed by AIPM.

In order for you to proceed further, it would be helpful for you to review the following material. Once you have done this and you have made an application for course endorsement we will contact you about the process.

2. How long does endorsement last?

Course endorsement lasts for up to three years, upon which you will need to re-apply in full and repay the full endorsement fee. After this time period, Course Providers are suspended until ensuring that all criteria have been adhered to.

It is expected that no changes are made to the courses within this period of three years; however Course Providers will need to forward a statutory declaration annually, stating that the course has not changed.

If changes are made, it is expected that AIPM will be notified of all changes and be expected to be reviewed under the endorsement process.

3. Why would you want to be endorsed?

AIPM is the largest project management community in Australasia incorporating over 10,000 individual members, corporate members, industry groups and communities of practice.

AIPM’s role is to improve knowledge and skills and to recognise competence of project team members, project managers and project directors all of whom play a key role in the achievement of business objectives, not just project objectives. AIPM also aims to ensure that those involved at other levels in an organisation and the community understands the key role of Project Management in today's society.

Part time students of an endorsed course provider can become a Student Member of AIPM for the duration of their course. It provides students with a temporary affiliation with an industry body of their profession and gives them access to most membership benefits. Student facilities include free membership for full time students and $66 / pa membership for part time students. Of particular interest for students would be invitations to networking events, the bi-monthly magazine ‘The Project Manager’ and access to the online Information Resource Centre (IRC), one of the largest repositories of project management research and knowledge.

Once endorsed courses are successfully complete students are automatically eligible for professional recognition as an Associate Member of AIPM and can use the post-nominals AAIPM. Our RegPM Certification program is highly sought after. It follows the professional practice standard for project management and adds credibility to candidates when applying for project management positions.

Course providers are entitled to use the AIPM logo under strict conditions once they are endorsed, in all advertising material and courseware.

4. Who will AIPM endorse?

AIPM will endorse those Course Providers that demonstrate practical support for AIPM’s professional development standards. Course Providers will demonstrate that throughout their material the outcomes of the course(s) are aligned to the PMBoK and the IBSA BSB07 competency standards.

5. What are our goals?

AIPM’s goals are:

to align training to a professional recognition body
to increase the awareness of Project Management as a profession
to progress the globalisation of Project Management
to recognise excellence in Project Management
to promote competency-based assessment for those working in Project Management
to grow our membership
to promote AIPM as the largest project management community in Australasia, and
to promote course providers who provide PMBoK standards with competency assessment and recognition.

As an AIPM endorsed course provider, our members as well as other interested parties who access AIPM’s website will contact you as a preferred training course provider of Project Management. Our endorsed courses are seen as a preferred option for clients of Project Management throughout Australia.

6. Our objectives

AIPM’s objectives are:

to provide, as a valued service to members, reliable direction in Project Management courses and products in each State & Territory;
to assist members and others to make an informed choice to suit their professional development;
to support the maintenance of the professional standards for Project Management in line with the AIPM competency and recognition framework; and
to encourage service providers to embrace recognised best practice in Project Management by providing professional development activities which are aligned with the National Competency Standards and professional practice standards for Project Management.

7. AIPM, Project Management and Membership

As an endorsed Course Provider, students who participate in your programs will automatically be eligible for Student membership to AIPM. The advantage to student members is that they have access to our Information Resource Library, where a full time librarian can assist them with Project Management resources. This is particularly beneficial for assignments.

Other advantages include:

subscription to our Project Manager Magazine and regular invitations to our chapter events;
access to project management jobs available, as well as other benefits shown on our website;
upon receipt of their qualification students will then automatically be recognised under our Associate membership. (AAIPM); and
as an Associate member, they can then upgrade this to full membership of AIPM if they can demonstrate skills, knowledge and competency to perform in the role of a team member, project manager or program director. They can also gain this through recognition and assessment through participation in our RegPM program.

8. RegPM

Members of AIPM have access to the RegPM certification program. This is a competency based, workplace assessment program that provides professional recognition for demonstration of skills and knowledge.

Training providers of our endorsed courses are able to assist participants in their programs to understand the RegPM process, although this certificate may not be given automatically as part of the certification of the course being delivered. Please ask for or refer the participant to the AIPM website for information regarding our RegPM process.

9. What will AIPM endorse?

AIPM will endorse Project Management courses which show professional development. Options covered by this endorsement policy are:

courses leading to a Project Management qualification or award
short courses leading to a statement of attainment, where the competencies are recognised under the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK) and Project Management National Competency Standards framework.

A separate certificate will be issued for each individual endorsed course.

10. How do you become endorsed?

This section contains instructions for completing and submitting the endorsement application.

Step A Apply via the application form on the AIPM website.

Step B Pay application Fee: Please note that there is a separate “Application fee” which is payable before any Training Provider’s courses can be endorsed. Once the application fee has been paid, the Certification and Assessment Manager will contact you regarding the next steps (see below).

Step C Pay endorsement fee. Once you are endorsed, you will need to then pay an “Endorsement Fee” for Certification to be complete. This may vary according to the number of courses you provide. Once you have decided that you want to proceed, please phone the AIPM on 02 8288 8700. Fees are shown on the website.

The following steps are to be followed when applying for course or workshop endorsement:

Step A

1. Application

Complete the online application form for Course Endorsement including payment of the application fee.
If you require a Confidentiality Agreement to be signed before reviewing any documents, this must be forwarded by the organisation at this stage.
You will be contacted by the AIPM to confirm what you need to do and have a general conversation about the endorsement of your course(s).

2. Submission of Information and Materials

Collect and collate documentary evidence required by AIPM as listed in the section 11.
Package and forward all materials (2 copies – hard copy only)

Contact: Certification & Assessment Manager

Postal Address:

Course Endorsement
Australian Institute of Project Management
Level 9
139 Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Review of the material will be performed by AIPM Certification and Assessment Manager, in consultation with the Course Endorsement Committee. Any questions regarding the application will be directed to the contact officer nominated by the applicant. Applications are normally processed within thirty working days of receipt of the application at AIPM.

11. Documentary evidence and material required

(To be accompanied with copy of the application form – see attachments).

For a course to become endorsed by AIPM, there are certain standards that must be adhered to by the course provider as outlined in the attached checklist. All information within the course must adhere to these requirements.

This evidence must also include the most current course or workshop material; including marketing material, for the course/s or workshop/s covered by the application. For multiple courses to be endorsed, we need to review all material. We understand that Intellectual Property (IP) is critical and are happy to sign a “confidentiality agreement” for you if required. It may be sent in either hard or soft copy to the address in Step A2.

Documentary evidence is required in relation to the following criteria.

It must be CLEARLY evident in the material where the evidence may be found for the AIPM Certification and Assessment Manager in assessing the evidence (i.e. tabs or similar). Two copies (hard copy only) must be sent to the above address.

12. Qualifications of Trainers, Facilitators and Instructors

Trainers, Facilitators and Instructors of AIPM endorsed project management courses should posses at least one of the following qualifications:

formal project management education, experience or
RegPM certification.

13. Endorsement visits

AIPM reserves the right to visit (mutually agreed time and venue) Course Providers and consult with various key people and groups, such as course instructors; senior staff and students of the course to ensure that the course outcomes are aligned with that of the proposed or current endorsed course(s).

14. Significant structural change

A significant change, can be a change in the duration or structure of the course or an organisational structural change which may impact the endorsed course; should such a change occur AIPM must be notified accordingly, and if AIPM consider the change in course is significant, then the course will need to be re-submitted to the AIPM Certification & Assessment Manager and Course Endorsement Committee for review.

15. Appeals against the recommendation

Should the Course Provider disagree with the decision of the AIPM Certification and Assessment Manager and the Course Endorsement Committee, an appeal setting out the basis for disagreement may be sent to the Chair of the AIPM Professional Development Council for review and final determination of endorsement. The appeal must be lodged within one month of original decision.

16. Attachments

Private and TAFE Provider’s checklist for Course Endorsement

Name of Institute
Contact person
Contact address
Contact email
Contact phone

Provider to ensure that all areas below have been completed before application can be endorsed

Student workbooks

This must adhere to the following guidelines and demonstrate throughout the material that the outcomes of the course are aligned to the PMBoK and the IBSA BSB07 competency standards throughout the material as outlined below:

Show the level of qualification. E.g. Advanced Diploma.
Show integration between RegPM level and PMBoK. i.e. Within the course workbooks, the PMBoK element is specifically aligned with the work within the notes .
The aims of the course and relationship to PMBoK are clearly defined.
An explanation is given of what the PMBoK element is and how it relates to the overall management of the project.
Have acknowledgement that qualification within Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level, will not automatically be certified as also receiving a RegPM Certification.
AIPM RegPM brochure, Student Membership brochure and CPD brochure is contained within the Student workbook or given to students at the commencement, or during the course.
Student workbooks are written in a clear and easy to read format, (from a user perspective) so that the student may refer to the workbook if they are unable to participate in the workshop.
Headings are clear and linked to the Contents table
Writing is in Plain English.
Explanation of PMBoK elements are clear throughout the document and referenced to AQF competency units.
At least 2 references, plus PMBoK, are used for reference material

Facilitator material

Delivery plan:

Shows reference to performance criteria
Refers to which unit of Project Management knowledge is being covered (as documented in the PMBoK).

Facilitator notes show evidence of:

Reference to explanation of what RegPM is and how it relates to certification.
Reference and/or explanation of competencies and reference to AQF.
Explanation of assessment process.

University Provider’s checklist for Course Endorsement

Name of Institute
Contact person
Contact address
Contact email
Contact phone

Provider to ensure that all areas below have been completed before application can be endorsed

Student workbooks

Show the level of qualification E.g. Graduate Certificate, Masters
Show integration between RegPM level and PMBoK. i.e. Within the course workbooks, the PMBoK element is specifically aligned with the work within the notes.
The aims of the course and relationship to PMBoK are clearly defined.
An explanation is given of what the PMBoK element is and how it relates to the overall management of the project.
AIPM RegPM brochure, Student Membership brochure and CPD brochure is contained within the Student workbook or given to students at the commencement, or during the course.
Student material is written in a clear and easy to read format, (from a user perspective) so that the student may refer to this if they are unable to participate in the course for any reason.
Headings are clear and linked to the Contents table
Writing is in Plain English.
At least 2 references, plus PMBoK, are used for reference material.

Assessment

Assessment is an important component of endorsement and must adhere to the following:

Assessment procedures and samples of assessment and how they relate to the competency units should be clearly referenced through the material.

Assessment material must:

explain which of the PMBoK elements are covered by each Assignment.
explain the type of evidence needed.
make reference to all assessment criteria ( i.e. validity, authenticity, sufficiency, consistency).
are based on practical experience in the workplace, not just case studies for all or minimum of 90% of assessments.
clearly reference that the assessment for the qualification can not necessarily be used for the RegPM assessment and that the RegPM assessment is work based competency based.

Capability of the organisation

It is necessary that the Director of the organisation (for private provider) or Head of Faculty/Principal (for Higher Education) sign a Statutory Declaration outlining the following, stating that for a period of three years they will adhere to the following:

Demonstration that the organisation has the capability to deliver the course / workshop as described and a CRICOS number

Capability statement and Statutory declaration in relation to all presented from the Director / Head of Faculty stating that:

a) Each course regardless of length should be presented by suitable presenters with:

relevant PM experience and with PM qualifications
academic educational qualifications within their discipline

b) Direct course, courseware of Distance Education (DE) and support products (e.g. case studies, simulation learning, coaching, mentoring, on line products or PM support) are the responsibility of the Director / Head of Faculty and should adhere to all endorsement requirements.

Other Criteria

Discussions with trainers and the AIPM regarding RegPM is a compulsory part of the process. Book a date for a discussion about the RegPM with the AIPM.

Professional Application of Knowledge - It is recommended that all courses incorporate the professional application of the knowledge of “work placed competence” in line with the National Competency Standards for Project Management

This includes the strategies for assessing workplace application in line with the requirements of the TAA04 and the professional capability of the facilitators conducting the workshops. Fees

Are you aware that there is:

An application fee of $1,162.70
An endorsement fee (see fee list)

Course Endorsement Submission Form

Please include the following information with your application form:

Organisations Name
Contact Name
Phone
Fax
Email
Address
Website
Name of Director / Head of Faculty Qualifications RegPM
Certification
Names of Approved Trainers, lecturers, mentors, tutors, course presenters
Qualifications RegPM
Certification

Course Provider Fees

This sets out fees for endorsement of Project Management courses.

The total fee is comprised of an application and an endorsement fee.

The application fee is paid prior to the assessment of materials. The endorsement fee is paid following completion of the endorsement review.

Application fee

An application fee of $1,162.70 (incl. GST) must be paid to AIPM.

This is non-refundable regardless of the success of the endorsement review.

This fee is used to fund the assessment of the course materials.

Endorsement fee

The endorsement fee is paid according to the number of courses and the delivery of these courses. The fee is used by AIPM for conducting activities associated with operation of the endorsement program.

This payment is due yearly, with a full review of the course by AIPM at the 3rd year.

Course Provider fee

$1,162.70 1-3 usually smaller providers
$1,585.10 4-6 some larger private providers
$1,849.10 7 + usually larger institutions

Definitions

A “course” may be a:

module of a course (e.g. a PM module in a course in a Graduate Certificate or Post Graduate certificate), or
whole course such as Certificate IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, or Masters in Project Management.

“Delivery” of the course means:

Per provider (for smaller providers) or campus (for larger institutions such as TAFE colleges, universities) etc.
Online / Web CT

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