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CPD to become mandatory at CIPFA

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) are to introduce compulsory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) from January 2005. Members will join the scheme on a phased basis beginning January 2005. All CIPFA members will be included by 2007.

CIPFA say the move to mandatory CPD will ensure that their members continue to be technically astute, in addition to assuring employers, and the public they serve, that they have the relevant qualifications, experience and up to date technical knowledge to carry out their job.

Members elected in or after January 1994 will become the first to be compulsorily involved in the scheme. January 2006 will mark the second phase, with members elected between January 1984 and December 1993 joining. By January 2007, all CIPFA members will be involved in the scheme with members elected before January 1984 joining.

CIPFA members will need to complete 120 hours of CPD activity over a three-year period. There is a minimum requirement of at least 20 verifiable hours in any year. Members will be responsible for identifying knowledge and skills and these will be influenced by the sectors they work in. They can meet their obligations from a choice of activities including: attending seminars, conferences, writing technical articles for publications, project work, on-the-job learning and mentoring. Members can choose when their CPD year begins, so it can coincide with the financial, appraisal or calendar year.

"Continuing life long learning is an important part of any professional person’s life," said CIPFA President, Mike Barnes. "Ensuring they have the sharpest technical ability and latest knowledge to do their job assures clients – their employer, stakeholders and the public – that they are astute and fit for their job. High profile company collapses such Enron have tarnished the reputation of the accountancy profession.

"CIPFA’s members are collectively responsible for the financial management of the public sector. This accounts for 30-40% of the global economy. It is essential that our members are well equipped, that they have the public’s confidence and that they strive for excellence in their careers. CIPFA’s new CPD scheme will go a long way to assuring the public that this is the case."

To help members with their CPD obligations, CIPFA is developing a dedicated website to enable members to develop their own learning plan, network with other members and complete much of their CPD online. The CIPFA Learning Centre (CLC) will provide a range of technical, management and CPD resources and will be launched at the CIPFA Annual Conference in Manchester in June 2005. A temporary site will be available from January 2005 through the members’ extranet site: www.cipfa.org.uk/members.

CIPFA is currently polling its members about the technical content they would like the CLC site to include. The survey is available on www.cipfa.org.uk/cpd and members have until 31 December 2004 to complete it.

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