Project management profession is being continuously developed with the help of both academic institutions and professional bodies. A good number of universities offer graduate degrees in Project Management.

Both the International Project Management Association (IPMA) and the national professional bodies like PMI in the United States and APM in the United Kingdom set forth minimum requirements as well as standards of implementation for project management profession.

The APM Group Limited
The APM Group Limited (APMG) provides PRINCE2™ training Accreditation and an Examination scheme in partnership with Office of Government Commerce (OGC). They maintain a list of Accredited Training Organisations and Registered PRINCE2™ Consultants.

The APM Group is a certification body accredited by UKAS for Office of Government Commerce's Best Practice Programme and Project Management processes, namely PRINCE2™, MSP™, and the Management of Risk (M_o_R™)

What is PRINCE2™?
Getting PRINCE2™ certified

Association of Project Managers (APM)
APM's mission statement is: "To develop and promote the professional disciplines of project and programme management for the public benefit"

APM is the largest independent professional body of its kind in Europe. It has over 15,000 individual and 400 corporate members throughout the UK and abroad. APM's aim is to develop and promote project management across all sectors of industry and beyond.

At the heart of APM is the APM Body of Knowledge; fifty-two knowledge areas required to manage any successful project. We promote the use of the APM Body of Knowledge through qualifications, accredited training, research, publications and events.

APM Members are skilled and experienced professionals recognised in the UK and throughout the world via International Project Management Association (IPMA); APM is the UK member of the IPMA.

Overview of APM qualifications

Introductory Certificate: for anyone looking to understand the principles of project management.

APMP (IPMA Level D): for people with up to two years' project management experience.

Practitioner Qualification (IPMA Level C): for anyone with more than three years of project management experience.

Certificated Project Manager (IPMA Level B): for project managers with extensive experience in managing complex, multi-disciplinary projects.

APM Project Risk Management Certificates: APM offers level one and level two certificates for project and programme managers involved in project risk assessment in any way.

Go to APM Website

PMI (Project Management Institute)
PMI has more than 240,000 members in over 160 countries, PMI is the leading membership association for the project management profession. PMI is actively engaged in advocacy for the profession, setting professional standards, conducting research and providing access to a wealth of information and resources. PMI also promotes career and professional development and offers certification, networking and community involvement opportunities.

For more than 36 years, PMI has advanced the careers of practitioners who have made project management indispensable in achieving business results.

PMI Professional Credentials

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) is designed for project team members, entry-level project managers and students who want a credential to recognise their value to project team performance.

Project Management Professional (PMP®) is for those who have been leading projects for some years.

Program Management Professional (PgMPSM) is for those who have been leading projects and programmes for some years.

Click here for PMP Exam Eligility Criteria

Go to PMI web site

Go to PMI UK Chapter web site

International Project Management Association
IPMA is the world's oldest project management organisation. It is an international network of national project management societies.

While these national societies serve the specific project management development needs of each country in its national language, the IPMA as an umbrella organisation represents them at the international level.

The IPMA is truly a global organisation with member associations  spread throughout the world. Currently there are some 40 national representative bodies spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas promoting project management professionalism on the specific cultural requirements across all types of projects.

Go to IPMA web site