Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to learning and related activities that develop and maintain capabilities to enable professional members to perform competently within their professional environments.

It is indicative of the wisdom of the original founders of the Computer Society of South Africa (the former name of IITPSA) who, more than fifty years ago, saw fit to include, as one of the purposes of the organisation:

“To improve the technical and general knowledge and to elevate the professional status of persons engaged in ICT.”     [Article 3.4 of the CSSA’s Articles of Association].

This was surely a remarkably prescient statement that was made long before the term “Continuing Professional Development” had even been developed.

This statement has been reworded into clause 2.3 of the IITPSA’s Memorandum of Incorporation, as one of the objects of the Institute, as follows:

“Set standards and provide well-documented paths to enable practitioners within the industry to develop their skills and further their careers, and to obtain professional recognition.”

The Foreword to IITPSA’s Code of Practice (Professional Conduct) states: “The Code of Practice deals with the ways in which all members of the Institute are expected to exercise their professional competence …”.  The Introduction continues: “The Code is concerned with professional responsibility. All members have responsibilities – to clients, to users, to the State and to society at large. Those members who are employees also have responsibilities to their employers and employers’ customers and, often, to a Trade Union.

In line with the above clauses in the Memorandum of Incorporation and Code of Practice, the objective of CPD is to assist members to develop and maintain professional competence in order to provide services of high quality in the public interest.

Whilst the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa encourages all of its members to participate in CPD, with effect from 01 September 2010, this has become mandatory for Professional Members (PMIITPSA) of the Institute. Professional Members who fail to maintain their CPD requirements will be referred to the IITPSA Disciplinary Committee and, if found to be non-compliant, will have their professional status and designation revoked.

Members of the public who have any concerns about the behavior / conduct of any Professional Member of the  Institute and their adherence to the IITPSA codes of conduct and practice may also refer their concerns in writing to the IITPSA CEO, who will lodge them with the IITPSA Disciplinary Committee for review and action where appropriate.

The current CPD Policy of the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa is available to Institute members in good standing via the IITPSA Members’ Portal (click on “Login” at the top of this page), or on request from the IITPSA National Office.

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