As reported in a previous CIPS Connections, the IP3 (www.ipthree.org) Board has confirmed a Mutual Acceptance policy pertaining to IP3P accredited societies. CIPS was accredited by IP3 in 2008, which led to CIPS' ITCP designation being accredited to the IP3P standard and receiving international recognition.
What is Mutual Acceptance?
The IP3 Mutual Acceptance establishes a framework for comparison of different professional certification programs that lead to a common understanding between different countries and will facilitate the portability of professional membership. A good example of this is the professional membership recognition that exists between the Australian Computer Society (ACS) and CIPS, both IP3P accredited and now accepting each other's professional certifications. Mutual recognition does come with a number of safeguards. It provides the right to the association to refuse to admit an individual into its professional membership in keeping with its entry rules. It also provides the right to impose local top-up requirement if required (i.e. a local language test).
How will Mutual Acceptance affect CIPS ITCP holders?
At the moment, only the ACS and CIPS have been IP3 accredited and the Mutual Acceptance policy therefore only applies to these two organizations. However, a number of other societies are preparing their IP3P applications for 2011 and once these organizations have been accredited, the Mutual Acceptance policy will also apply.
ITCP holders that are interested in achieving the IP3P recognized ACS Computing Professional(CP) status can simply apply to the ACS for recognition. The ACS will confirm with CIPS that you are ITCP certified and a CIPS member in good standing, and upon payment of the ACS membership dues you will be granted CP status. The ACS is the designated professional assessing authority for persons seeking to apply for Skilled Migration as IT Professionals into Australia. CP status is indirectly linked to this process where individuals holding CP status have an easier time going through the assessment.
Professional members from IP3P accredited societies will also be able to apply for CIPS' ITCP under the Mutual Acceptance policy. CIPS will confirm the individual's membership with the responsible society and assure that their membership is in good standing. Upon payment of CIPS membership dues and signing of the CIPS Code of Ethics statement, CIPS will grant the individual the ITCP recognition.
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