CIPR to launch new professional qualifications
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations will introduce a new suite of professional qualifications, aligning them with the competences needed for contemporary PR practice from September 2017.
The qualifications, to be launched at an event on 19 July, will each feature a new syllabus shaped around the practical and future needs of public relations employers. The move follows an extensive employer consultation involving more than thirty organisations.
The changes affect all CIPR qualifications - with the exception of the Professional PR Diploma - which was relaunched following a similar review last year.
The review process was one of the most challenging and rewarding projects of my long career in public relations. Despite the ever-changing landscape of technical skills required of the modern PR professional, there was almost universal agreement on the fundamental knowledge and competences needed to practice the discipline, and these are now at the heart of the new qualifications.
Previous research by Queen Margaret University and the ongoing development of a PR competency framework by the Global Alliance were allied to a wide-ranging discussion with chief examiners, accredited teaching centres, CIPR groups and leading practitioners, to advise the new syllabuses.
As the Chartered body for public relations professionals, it's our responsibility to ensure the qualifications we offer reflect the highest standards in PR. These qualifications combine the professional rigour expected of a Chartered Institute, with robust practical application. Professional qualifications have had a profound impact on my career and I look forward to championing their value and meeting prospective students at the launch event later this month.
Taking place at the CIPR's offices in London, the launch event will feature keynote speeches from CIPR President Jason MacKenzie Found.Chart.PR, FCIPR and Steve Falla Chart.PR, FCIPR, Managing Director of Orchard PR. Attendees will be entered in to a prize draw for a chance to win a place on a CIPR qualification. Register for free via Eventbrite.
The new professional qualifications will replace the existing syllabi from September this year. To register for a course please contact a teaching centre via the CIPR website.
Notes to editors
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas. The CIPR is the largest membership organisation for PR practitioners outside of North America. By size of turnover and number of individually registered members, we are the leading representative body for the PR profession and industry in Europe.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).