Welcome to the website of The Institute of Continuing Professional Development

Jonathan Harris CBE

The world in which all professionals practise is changing. Global competition has never been more intense. Clients are becoming more knowledgeable and more demanding. Technology continues to affect all aspects of our lives. The knowledge-base of the professions, and of the sectors in which they operate, has also increased. With such developments come new opportunities: new clients, new markets, new areas of practice and new methods of working. Such changes demand ever-evolving knowledge, skills and understanding and an increasing demonstration of commitment to lifelong professional learning.

All professionals are assumed to be technically competent and managerially capable. Indeed, in our knowledge-intensive world some have argued that the only real source of sustainable competitive advantage is the ability to recognise and adapt to these changes faster than the competition.

The commitment to keeping up to date is growing in significance as an increasing number of people recognise the benefits of adopting a planned and structured approach to post-qualification learning.

Commitment to CPD is also an acknowledgement that becoming professionally qualified is not an end in itself - it is merely the beginning. Updating skills and knowledge on a continuing basis is essential to career progression, particularly given the passing of the 'job for life' and rigorously-defined career path cultures.

The Institute of Continuing Professional Development is part of the Continuing Professional Development Foundation, an educational charitable trust providing high-quality and broad-ranging CPD since 1981. The Institute serves the public interest by helping to raise the effectiveness of professionals through the promotion of CPD as an important and integral element of lifelong learning.

Now, individuals, of whatever profession, who demonstrate an added personal commitment to CPD, and who believe in keeping up to date and seeking to raise standards for the greater public good, are able to be rewarded with the designatory letters FInstCPD or MInstCPD.