Frequently asked questions
WHEN DOES THE CPD YEAR RUN FROM?
WHAT ARE THE CPD REQUIREMENTS?
DOES FORMAL CPD ALWAYS HAVE TO BE PAID FOR?
HOW AND WHERE DO I RECORD MY CPD?
HOW DO I MAKE THE ANNUAL DECLARATION?
WHAT ARE THE CPD REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERS IN PUBLIC PRACTICE?
WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?
WHEN DOES THE CPD YEAR RUN FROM?
When did mandatory CPD become
effective?
Mandatory
CPD became effective from 1 August 2011.
The ICSA CPD year runs from 1 August to 31 July, so you need to complete
this year’s CPD requirements and make your declaration of completion before 31
July 2012.
WHAT
ARE THE CPD REQUIREMENTS?
How many hours of CPD do I have
to complete?
All
Members must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD. This should include a minimum of 5 hours of formal
CPD. The remaining 15 hours can either
be made up from further formal CPD or it can be informal CPD.
What is the difference
between formal CPD and informal CPD? How can I clarify what my activity falls
into if I’m not clear?
The
main difference between formal and informal CPD is that formal CPD is something
you attend or actively participate in – (a formally arranged event generally
with an agenda). Informal CPD is generally done on your own, or with just a few
colleagues. More guidance on what can be considered formal/informal CPD can be
found here.
Do I need to make an annual
declaration confirming that I have completed the CPD requirements?
Yes
you do. This can be done at any time
during the year, as soon as you have completed the minimum 5 hours of formal
CPD and minimum of 20 hours overall. It
must be completed prior to the 31 July.
DOES FORMAL CPD ALWAYS HAVE TO BE PAID FOR?
My employer has limited its
training budget and I can’t go on any training courses or conferences this
year. How else can I complete my 5 hours
of formal CPD?
You
can build up your formal CPD hours by doing any the following, many at no or
limited cost:
- Attending as many work-based staff development training activities as possible
- Considering which relevant work-based meetings and events you have attended
- If you are undertaking any training events for other professional bodies you might consider if these will also be relevant for your ICSA CPD
- Attending locally based ICSA Member Group courses and events
- Taking part in specialist panel/group events
- Considering possibilities for sharing professional knowledge such as lecturing or writing articles
What work-based meetings can
be accepted as formal CPD?
Your
best starting point when planning your CPD is to discuss the requirements with
your employer. If you are not already
attending relevant meetings, then it may be possible to arrange with your
employer for you to do so.
The general rule here is that the meeting should be formal in nature. It should involve a group of individuals, work to a fixed agenda and involve some element of learning for you.
If you wish to have confirmation that any particular meeting or event can be considered towards your formal CPD please contact the CPD team.
I am fully retired and 60
years of age or over, will I still have to undertake CPD?
If
you are 60 years of age or over and fully retired at the start of teh subscription year and have already been granted
the retired subscription fee or have become a life Member you will automatically be exempt from CPD and
need take no further action. If you are eligible and have not yet been granted
the retired rate subscription concession you should contact the Member support
team.
I am fully retired but under
60 years of age, will I still have to undertake CPD?
It
is not possible for you to pay the retired rate of subscription unless you are
fully retired and 60 years of age, or over, at the beginning of the
subscription year. It is, however, possible for you to claim exemption from CPD
if you become fully retired below the age of 60. You just need to e-mail the CPD team on an
annual basis advising them of your circumstances and then update your CPD log
on the ‘My ICSA’ area of the website to declare your exemption.
I am partially retired and
no longer work full-time, will I still have to undertake CPD?
If
you are partially retired and working less than 3 days per week, you can apply
for exemption from undertaking formal CPD.
You just need to e-mail the CPD team on an annual basis advising them of
your circumstances and confirming the hours you work per week and giving some
brief details in connection with your employment. If agreed, you will be permitted to
concentrate your efforts on meeting the 15 hours informal CPD
requirements. We will amend your log
accordingly.
I will be on
maternity/paternity leave for the majority of this year, will I still have to
undertake CPD?
It
is possible for you to claim exemption from meeting the Institute’s CPD
requirements, providing you are on maternity/paternity leave for the majority
of the year (at least 8 months). You
just need to e-mail the CPD team advising them of your circumstances and then
update your CPD log on the ‘My ICSA’ area of the website to declare your exemption.
I am not currently in paid
employment, I am looking after children, elderly or sick relatives full time,
will I still have to undertake CPD?
It
is possible for you to claim exemption from meeting the Institute’s CPD
requirements, providing you are not in paid employment and are looking after
children, elderly or sick relatives. You
just need to e-mail the CPD team advising them of your circumstances and then
update your CPD log on the ‘My ICSA’ area of the website to declare your exemption .
I have been unemployed for
the majority of the CPD year, will I still need to complete this year’s CPD
requirements?
It
is possible for you to claim exemption from meeting the Institute’s CPD
requirements, if you have been unemployed for the majority of the CPD year (at
least 8 months). You just need to e-mail
the CPD team advising them of your circumstances and then update your CPD log
on the ‘My ICSA’ area of the website to declare your exemption.
What about extenuating
circumstances?
If
you are unable to undertake CPD due to any other extenuating circumstances you should
discuss this with the CPD team.
I have only just been
elected to Membership – do I need to do CPD?
If
you are elected to Membership part way through the subscription year you will
not need to satisfy CPD requirements until the next full year of Membership.
Do students and ICSA
Graduates need to do CPD?
Students
and ICSA Graduates are not required to satisfy the Institute’s CPD requirements
under the new scheme. However, we
strongly recommend that all students and Graduates carry out and monitor their
CPD activities as this can be incredibly beneficial in helping improve your
knowledge and skills and therefore in furthering your career.
I’m not sure which would be
the best CPD activities for me to do.
Where can I get advice on planning my CPD?
CPD
support material is available online, which includes material on CPD planning that
you can use to help you to plan which activities are right for you. This
includes details about the ICSA core competencies and how these can be used
to support your CPD planning, a copy of the ICSA draft plan and several
completed examples and also some examples of relevant formal and informal CPD that Members
have undertaken. It also gives details
about ICSA CPD opportunities - details of forthcoming CPD events and activities
organised by ICSA.
For further guidance and advice in connection with planning your CPD please contact the CPD team.
I am not employed in the
company secretarial field. Do I still need to do CPD?
The
Institute has Members employed in a wide variety of roles, by a whole spectrum
of different organisations. You are still required to meet the CPD requirements
even if you are not employed in a company secretarial job role.
What can my CPD include?
Your
CPD is exactly that – yours. It should
be focused on yours and your employer’s needs.
It can be company secretarial or governance related, or it can focus on
specific needs related to your current/future job or it can concentrate on
developing your personal effectiveness skills.
Do I need to spread my CPD
activities evenly throughout the year or can I do them all at the beginning or end
of the year?
Whilst
there is no specific requirement for spreading your activities throughout the
year, we would strongly recommend that you do so. CPD is for your benefit and
in order to help grow your skills and knowledge you should allow time to reflect
on each activity rather than cramming activities into a short space of
time. You will also want to ensure that
your activities actively reflect your development needs and therefore it is
wise to be open to opportunities throughout the year.
HOW AND WHERE DO I RECORD MY CPD?
Do I need to record my CPD?
You
are required to keep a full record of your CPD.
Must I use the ICSA CPD log?
You
can record your CPD in any way you choose. This can be via the ICSA log, an
employer’s log, another professional body’s log or a personal record. If you
are not using the ICSA log you must be able to post, fax or email a copy of the
alternative log you are using, so that if requested as part of the Institute’s
monitoring arrangements, you are able to submit a copy of your log.
If you are not using the ICSA log, you are required to enter the ICSA log and record this fact, detailing the alternative log you are using. Then at the end of the year (before 31 July )you need to re-enter the ICSA log and record the CPD hours you have completed and make your declaration that you have completed the CPD requirements.
Why should I use the ICSA
log?
There
are a number of benefits to using the ICSA log.
Firstly the ICSA log has been developed specifically for the ICSA CPD scheme
and it is therefore easy to record both your formal and informal CPD on
it. The log shows running totals for
your formal, informal and total CPD.
Once you have completed the 20 hour requirement (with a minimum of 5
hours of formal CPD) the log automatically takes you to your declaration.
What do I need to record?
On
your log you should record:
- Whether the activity is formal or informal;
- The title of the event/activity;
- The type of activity it is;
- Whether it covers any of the core competencies (optional – if you are using these for planning purposes);
- Who the provider is;
- The date the activity was carried out;
- The total hours spent on the activity/event (minus any break time);
- You should give each activity a rating from 1-5
- and
- Most importantly – you should briefly evaluate each activity – identifying any follow-on CPD that would be helpful – in order to help you plan your future CPD.
Do I need to maintain
evidence of my formal CPD?
As
part of the monitoring process you may be asked to submit a copy of your CPD
log and the supporting documentary evidence at any time. Your log and evidence must be kept for a
period of three CPD years.
How do I access the ICSA CPD
log?
The
ICSA CPD log is accessible via the CPD section on the ‘My ICSA’ area of the
website. To access this you will need to
use your ICSA username and password. If
you do not have these please contact the Member support team.
There are brief guidance notes on how to access and use the log which you can find in the CPD section of ‘My ICSA’. If you have any queries about using the log please contact the CPD team.
Can I edit entries that I
have made on the ICSA CPD log?
At
present there is no editing facility on the ICSA log, so please be aware that
you need to double check your entries before accepting them. If you do need to amend any entries that you
have made, please contact the CPD team.
Can I see some examples of
CPD logs?
Yes. There is an example of a completed CPD log in
the log guidance notes on the CPD section of ‘My ICSA’ area.
Should I continue recording
more CPD once I have met the 20 hours requirement?
You
should continue recording all of your CPD throughout the whole year, so that
your log represents a full and accurate record of your CPD and is of maximum
use to you in planning future CPD and discussing career development with current
or potential employers.
HOW DO I MAKE THE ANNUAL DECLARATION?
When you have completed the required amount of CPD you must make a declaration to confirm this. You can do this via the ICSA CPD log. If you are using the ICSA log, once you have completed the required amount of CPD you will automatically be taken to the declaration and just need to click on the relevant box. If you are using an alternative log, you just need to enter the ICSA log, enter the total hours of formal and informal CPD undertaken and then click on ‘make my declaration’ and tick the relevant box.
HOW WILL ICSA MONITOR MY CPD?
We
will check all Members’ records to make sure that all those that are required
to complete CPD have done so, and that you have made your declaration of
completion via the ICSA log. Once 31
July passes we will contact any Members who have not made their declaration to
offer further support and guidance as required. We
will then ask a random selection of Members to submit their CPD records and
evidence for further analysis.
What happens if I don’t
undertake and record my CPD?
If
you have difficulty completing the ICSA’s CPD requirement the Institute will be
happy to offer advice and guidance. It is however each Member’s responsibility
to ensure they meet the ICSA CPD requirements in order to maintain their professional
Membership of ICSA.
WHAT ARE THE CPD REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERS IN PUBLIC PRACTICE?
I am a Member in Public Practice what are the
main differences in the CPD requirements for me?
As a Member in Public
Practice, to obtain your practicing certificate, you are required to complete
35 hours of CPD, a minimum of 10 hours of which must be formal CPD. The remaining 20 hours can either be more
formal CPD or informal CPD.
You must use the ICSA CPD log to record your CPD.
Your CPD year runs from the date on your ICSA practicing certificate.
As a Member in Public Practice you need to submit documentary evidence of your CPD for monitoring, with your practicing certificate applications.
Members in Public Practice are not generally eligible for exemption from meeting the CPD requirements, however, anyone with particular extenuating circumstances should contact the CPD team.
WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?
Who can I contact to gain further advice and
guidance regarding my CPD and the Institute’s requirements?
Contact the CPD team:
E-mail: CPD@icsaglobal.com
Tel: 0207 612 7056
I can’t get access to my CPD log and need my login and password for ‘MyICSA’. Who do I contact?
Contact the Member support team:
E-mail: membersupport@icsaglobal.com
Tel: 0207 580 4741