The PIBC Continuing Professional Development (CPD) System was introduced by a Membership wide vote and bylaw change in May 2003, following several years of consultation and research by the Education Committee. The system was implemented over many months, with the first reporting deadline occurring December 31, 2004.

The system is designed to be user-friendly and flexible for Members, while accomplishing the collective goal of the Institute and its membership – to maintain the highest professional standards and latest knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities relevant to the theory, methods, and practice of planning.

2005 – Update:

Following the first mandatory reporting period, and substantial feedback from Members, the Education Committee and Council have developed and approved changes & updates to improve the PIBC Continuing Professional Development (CPD) System.

Key changes for 2005 include:

• New CPD Self Report Form: There is now a new, streamlined Self Report form that you can use to report your activities. The new form requires less up-front information, and allows you to report several activities on a single form (rather than filling out a separate form for each activity). Please note, that you still need to keep back up information in your own records, in case it needs to be reviewed at a later date following your submission. Download a PDF copy of the new Self-Report Form here.

• New On-line CPD/CPL Self-Reporting: Through the new online membership database, created by the national affiliate (CIP), you can now login through the web, and electronically self-report your CPD (or CPL as it is known nationally) activities without the need to submit any duplicate paper forms to PIBC. From this point forward, all Members’ CPD/CPL records will be stored, and available for review online, through the CIP online database. You can access this through the Members Only section of the CIP website at: http://www.cip-icu.ca Just look for the CPL Reporting Form link. If you need assistance with your CIP login ID or password, please contact CIP directly for assistance.

• Reporting Period-Learning Unit Carry-Forward: Recognizing that Members’ access to Organized & Structured activities may be limited from one calendar year to the next, Members may now carry-forward any surplus Organized & Structured Learning Units from one year to the next subsequent year. This change is retroactive, to include any such surplus LUs from the first reporting period. While the reporting requirement remains a minimum of 9.0 LUs of Organized & Structured activities per calendar year, surplus units can be carried forward one year, to fill any deficit in the next subsequent year.

• Reclassification of Some Types of CPD Activities: Recognizing that some Members may engage in types of Learning Activities which are, in their own way, Organized & Structured, and in further recognition that some Members’ access to more traditional Organized & Structured activities may be limited, the guidelines have been revised to ‘re-classify’ some types of activities as Organized & Structured (ones which were previously deemed to be Self-Directed activities). These reclassified activities include: research & writing for publication; preparation of material for workshops, presentations, courses, seminars or other sessions.

• Guidelines Allocating More Learning Units for Some Self-Directed Activities: Recognizing that some self-directed activities, such as various forms of volunteering, or reading and research, involve more time and activity than others, the guidelines have been revised to give greater credit (i.e. more Learning Units) for those activities which require more time. Generally, the guidelines for LU allocation for most self-directed activities have been increased. The maximum number of Self-Directed LUs per year remains at 9.0 LUs.

• Clarification for Working Professionals & Academics: Recognizing that the situation for all practicing planners is somewhat different, clarification has been added to emphasize that CPD activities are those engaged in outside of a planner’s normal day-to-day paid work. In particular, clarification has been added for academic planners, who’s practice is particularly unique within the profession.

• More Details? For more details on the revisions to the CPD system, you can download the revised CPD System Guide here. A copy of the revised CPD System Guide will also be mailed to all Members in early 2006.

• Measuring CPD – Learning Units: CPD credit continues to be measured in Learning Units (LUs), where one hour of professional development or learning activity equals one LU. There are still two main types of CPD learning activities/LUs – Organized & Structured, and Self-Directed.

• Annual Learning Unit Reporting Requirements: All Members (Full and practicing Fellow) are still required to complete and report a minimum of 18.0 Learning Units each year. (A minimum of 9.0 LUs must be from Organized & Structured activities, while a maximum of 9.0 LUs may be from Self-Directed activities). NOTE: Members may now carry-forward any surplus Organized & Structured Learning Units. While the reporting requirement remains a minimum of 9.0 LUs of Organized & Structured activities per calendar year, surplus units can be carried forward one year, to fill any deficit in the next subsequent year.

• Reporting Period & Deadlines: The reporting period for the CPD System remains every calendar year (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31), and the deadline for reporting is: December 31st each year.

• Methods for Reporting CPD Activities: Members must self-report their CPD activities and related Learning Units by one of two methods: 1) Using the revised Self-Report form (which can be downloaded from the PIBC website), or 2) Using the CIP online CPL Form, accessible through the Members Only section of the CIP website at: http://www.cip-icu.ca.

• Exemptions from CPD Requirements: The CPD system continues to be mandatory for all Full and practicing Fellows, while Provisional, Student, Associate, Retired, and approved Non-Practicing/Leave of Absence Members (or members who became new PIBC Full Members during the current year only) are exempt from the mandatory.

• More Details? For more details on the revisions to the CPD system, you can download the revised CPD System Guide here. A copy of the revised CPD System Guide will also be mailed to all Members in early 2006.

Email us at: info@pibc.bc.ca or call: 604-696-5031, Toll Free: 1-866-696-5031

CPD - Background Information:

• There are two categories or types of professional development activities: Organized & Structured, and Self-Directed.

• CPD credits will be measured in Learning Units (LUs), where one hour of professional development activity equals one LU.

• All Members (Full & Fellow) will be required to complete a minimum of 18 learning units each reporting period.

• The first reporting period was 32 months (back from May 1, 2002 forward to December 31, 2004). Subsequent reporting periods are now annual (January to December each year).

• Members report all their LU’s and professional development activities by way of self-report forms, submitted to PIBC or online through the CIP website.

• The system is administered and overseen by PIBC Council, and the Education Committee, under the leadership of the Education Chair.

Interim Reports and Papers Released: