CPD Across the Globe

Outside of the UK, CPD extends across the globe and is undertaken in most countries. The CPD Standards Office accreditation services support all forms of professional development and CPD schemes globally and has an increasingly international reputation as the strongest currency in professional development.

Below is a snapshot of CPD requirements in certain countries and regions, please contact us if you have any queries on these areas or different regions.

Africa

Across the African continent, CPD is an emerging practice with many individuals and professionals keen to undertake CPD for ongoing educational purposes.

The CPD Standards Office has some providers who deliver in this region, with a number based in South Africa.

Australia & New Zealand

CPD within Australia and New Zealand follows a similar model to the UK. Many professions are led by professional institutes, bodies, and regulators, all with similar CPD schemes and requirements to their UK counterparts.

The practice of CPD is highly valued, and as a result, there are various training, event and online providers registered with the CPD Standards Office who deliver training in this region.

Europe

Within Europe, CPD requirements vary from country to country and are dependent on the extent of regulation within each sector.

The CPD Research Project has identified that there are a larger number of professional bodies and institutes within Western Europe, with many countries in Eastern Europe slowly beginning to establish professional bodies and associated CPD requirements within the region. Many CPD Standards providers operate within various European countries and are active in delivering training provision to European professionals.

Middle East

There is a rising demand for CPD training within the Middle East. Over the past decade, the Gulf region has increasingly focused on delivering high-quality education and increasing standards of professionalism and competence.

The CPD Standards Office has accredited providers who are based in the Middle East but largely deliver into the UK e.g London Training Excellence, as well as providers who have developed a course in the UK and deliver it into specific areas of the Middle East e.g. Jasper Alliance.

There are huge opportunities for the delivery of CPD training into this region, particularly in regulated sectors as there strong value placed on those learning structures that reflect practices in the UK.

United States

CPD in the United States of America often uses slightly different language to describe the practice of CPD e.g. CE – Continuing Education, CPE – Continuing Professional Education, CME – Continuing Medical Education, or CLE – Continuing Legal Education.

Similar to the UK, there are stringent requirements for professionals to undertake CE within different sectors, with over 4000 professional bodies, institutes, and regulators across the country.

It is a rather complex area as each of the 52 States has different CE requirements in place for regulated areas e.g. lawyers in Alaska have to under 4 hours of CPD a year, whereas lawyers in Ohio have to undertake 24 hours of CE over 2 years.

The CPD Standards Office has various providers who are either based or headquartered in the USA e.g. Pinnacle Performance, and Columbia Business School, New York.

Background Information


To provide some further background on CPD in other countries; the extent of CPD requirements and professional practice is largely dependent on:

  • The presence of international regulation in certain sectors e.g. banking, accountancy and financial services have international regulations, as well as country-based regulations, which are all executed through CPD.
  • The extent the different UK professional bodies and institutes are becoming global with CPD requirements for a region.
  • The amount of developed business and organisations in the area who are focused on competence, professional practice, and professional education.

Global Acceptance of CPD Standards Accreditation

The CPD Standards Office has accredited a range of training providers in over 50 countries, across several continents. Due to the research undertaken by the CPD Standards Research Project with various professional bodies and regulators, the accreditation is recognised and respected internationally. Formal CPD Standards certificates are issued and accepted in a multitude of countries and across all professional sectors.

Download our CPD Factsheet: CPD Across the Globe

Testimonials

‘Since becoming accredited with the CPD Standards Office we have had great success delivering our training activities in the UAE’

Dr. Hamad Rashid

 Principal Consultant, HSJ Technicals UK

“Accreditation with the CPD Standards Office is of significant interest to our international clients as a mark of quality, credibility and improved value proposition”

Simon Wallace

Chairman, The Whole Thing