IPMA Certification – general information
The certification is a process focused on assessing candidates’ project, programme and portfolio management competence. ‘Competence’ refers to an ability to acquire and knowledge and/or skills in project management in a relevant context. The certification establishes that a person has this competence.
Certification significance
The certification programme represents an incentive for project managers managing projects and members of project teams of project management teams, and for managers managing programmes and portfolios to expand and improve their knowledge, experience and personal attitude. The certification programme also enables them to improve their education, to improve the quality of project, programme and portfolio management and, last but not least, to achieve project, programme and portfolio objectives efficiently.
The certification process has many benefits. Members of project management teams and managers managing projects, programmes and portfolios will obtain an internationally compatible certificate establishing their qualification and competence; suppliers of services for project, programme or portfolio management will be able to demonstrate their employees’ professional qualification and competence; customers will profit from the certification by knowing they have acquired top professional project management services.
Depending on the candidate’s role, status and perspectives, the benefits of the certification programme may be the following:
- International Project Management Association (IPMA) benefits
- IMPA member benefits
- Employer benefits
The IMPA certification system is based on 4 certification levels:
IPMA Level A – Certified Projects Director- shall be able to manage complex portfolios or programmes using appropriate resources, methods and tools.
IPMA Level B – Certified Senior Project Manager- shall be able to manage complex projects (for complexity criteria please see Evaluation of project management complexity).
IPMA Level C – Certified Project Manager- shall be able to manage projects with limited complexity.
IPMA Level D – Certified Project Management Associate- shall be able to apply project management knowledge as a project team member.