Overview
Continuing Professional Development
CPD is a personal commitment to keeping your professional knowledge and skills up-to-date. The IRI is strongly committed to supporting our members in meeting this commitment and doing so in a systematic and considered way. To this end, the IRI has updated its framework for CPD. The framework, supported by an online CPD record system, is integrated into the members’ area of this website.
Overview
The CPD Framework
Provides a system for recording CPD
Facilitates progression to higher membership grades
Recognises the commitment of members to complete and record CPD
Promotes life-long learning, professional competence and high standards
Overview
The key features of the CPD
Model based on CPD hours
The IRI CPD framework is based on the recording of CPD hours in a calendar year. Responsibility for the recording of these hours rests squarely with the members themselves, though the IRI provide suitable guidelines and support.
Recommended minimum hours
CPD is not mandatory for those happy to remain at their current membership grade. Instead, the CPD Guidelines 2017 specify a recommended minimum number of 30 CPD hours to be achieved by members of each grade. The IRI will be strongly encouraging and supporting all members to achieve and exceed this recommended minimum.
Progression
Members who want to progress to a higher grade of membership will be required to achieve the recommended minimum above in addition to meeting a number of other criteria relating to qualifications and experience. Further details on the progression routes for members to achieve higher grades and the associated CPD requirements can be found under Member Progression Criteria.
Categories of CPD activity
There are eight categories or headings under which CPD activities may be recorded:
- Training Courses and Workshops
- Conferences and Seminars/Lectures
- Mentoring
- Qualification studies
- Attending Exhibitions
- Committees
- Technical Writing
- Private study
The IRI has specified maximum limits under each category for the number of CPD hours that can be counted towards the overall target for the year. So for example, a member cannot achieve the recommended minimum of 30 hours in 2017 simply by recording 30 hours of attendance at exhibitions. A category maximum of 8 hours applies for attending exhibitions. Further guidance on these categories is given in the CPD Guidelines.
To access your own CPD Records, log in with your username and password and select My CPD. If you are about to use the online record system for the first time, we suggest you watch the instructional video provided.