Dear Beatriz,

I’m sure you are aware of the traditional difference between a certificate and certification.

Certificates are usually a more university oriented program, often equivalent to about half of a master’s degree.

George Washington Univ in Washington DC, and many other universities around the world offer such KM certificate programs.

They can be very robust, but are typically spread out over a number of semesters and years.

Certification Programs, such as the offered by the Project Management Institute (project management professional) and the International Knowledge Management Institute (KM Institute) are usually more practitioner based in terms of orientation and delivery.

The KM Institute offers both a blended workshop and a totally e-learning program. The blended program includes pre-class and post-class study of the ‘e’ modules not covered in the intensive week-long workshop. It focuses on the KM Principles for the K Age, the proven KM Body of Knowledge Methodology which has a heavy focus on change management, major proven KM initiatives, KM Metrics, and more.

The KM Institute’s program is the de facto standard for KM Certification with over 3,000 graduates worldwide (3062 as of last week).

The US headquartered program is offered in workshops in conjunction with universities and partner management institutes, societies and major training firms around the world, e.g., Malaysian Institute of Management in Kuala Lumpur, in the Mid-East (Dubai/UAE, Kuwait, KSA, Jordan and more), Europe (Switzerland and UK), and Canada.

In Columbia, it will be featured in the Universidad del Rosario’s extension program on “Knowledge and Innovation”, where it is being translated into Spanish for all of Latin America except Brazil. We are writing the scripts now for translation into Spanish, Chinese, Farsi and Arabic and for local customization, which we think is important and critical for program and practitioner success.

We do partner with organizations such as yours (SBGC). View more at our website

www.kminstitute.org

If you have further interest, let’s chat.

Douglas Weidner, eCKM Mentor™

Chairman, International Knowledge Management Institute

Best in Blended KM Training & Certification

Home of the KM Body of Knowledge (KMBOK)™

and Knowledge Maturity Model (KMM)™

www.kminstitute.org

703-757-1395

Boris,

For not wanting to contribute to the critical discussion of ‘to certify or to certificate’, you certainly seem to have stepped into it. J

However, you might want to correct at least a few of your assertions:

Weidner was one of the founders of KMPro and Exec Director of its Learning Center and author of its cert program, not just an instructor…and attendees knew that.

The KM Institute e-learning certification does have assessments, one for each of its four themes. The workshop has in-class participation in exercises and dialogue as the cert criteria.

On assessments, we are planning a much more rigorous KM simulation as the common criteria for both programs, because we believe that true/false and multiple choice don’t reflect mastery and competency in the Knowledge Age as much as the ability to do, which a simulation can certainly simulate. What do you think of a simulation as the cert criteria? Maybe we can discuss offline.

Correct, there is yet no internationally accepted KM accrediting body. But, consider project management—over many decades the Project Management Institute has become the de facto standard. The International Knowledge Management Institute (KM Institute), with a huge share of the past and present market, is emerging as the de facto standard – over 75% of all documented worldwide certs for 1999-2009 (including my students at KMCI – June 2001 and KMPro – Oct 2001 – 2004). The 2009/2010 share is accelerating. Here’s one reason, with which I assume you agree.

One requirement for international acceptance is for the training and certification to exist in more than one language, as you mentioned as a negative for the German-only program (VIST). That is why the KM Institute program is being translated into Spanish, Mandarin, Farsi (all in 2010) and Arabic (2011), some in affiliation with universities. Having KM cert available in many languages, taught in either English or native language by local expert KM practitioners (as we do in Switzerland – five KM experts), will only accelerate KM Institute acceptance, in my opinion.

In addition, the KM Institute has commenced what we consider to be much needed industry-specific KM certifications, including:

·         Certified Nuclear KM (already being offered by a leading consultancy in nuclear field)

·         Certified Aerospace KM (being designed now by leading experts from the leading companies) and

·         KM focused on development organizations (slated for planning this Winter).

A few others are being contemplated (healthcare, etc.) and any industry-specific KM experts in this community are welcome to contact me to discuss.

I agree universities and established management institutes have credentials that demand inclusion. That’s why the KM Institute has sought and been endorsed by many universities and leading management societies, and why its share will continue to accelerate, including:

·         Universidad Del Rosario (Bogota, Columbia) and  Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Medellin, Columbia) where it is being translated into Spanish for all of Latin America, except Brazil (Portuguese)

·         Malaysian Institute of Management and Asian Assoc of Management Organizations (15 countries from India to Japan)

·         US Army Warrant Officer Career College

·         Cal State Univ, which has offered the KM Institute Cert through its extension program and will be commencing again soon

·         Other universities are seeking affiliation, but as you know they sometimes move more slowly than commercial firms.

I agree that Hong Kong Polytechnic University probably has a great KM program. I knew most of their faculty in the 2003-2004 era and it is first rate. Oh, and you didn’t mention at least eight were certified by me in those formative years. L

And, as to proof of organizations accepting (companies accredit KM certifications), many have. Here’s one example, the US Military.

The KM Institute has become the preferred KM training provider for most of the combatant commands. Private and enterprise certification programs have been initiated at NorthCom (four years running), SouthCom, Eucom, JSOC, JF-Pentagon, and USF-Korea (two years). In addition, the KM Institute has provided certification training at US Dept of Defense Agencies and Services, such as Defense Intelligence Agency, NavSea, AF Material Command, AF Air Mobility Command, Army JAG, US Marines (Camp Lejeune), and various National Guards.

We also believe in life-long learning for all past students. They enjoy ongoing/full access to our “Hot Topics” section at the KM Institute portal, which is exclusive to students.  Hot Topics are video vignettes (K Nuggets of at least 10-min duration) on new/emerging KM trends and insights gained by practitioners, such as Social Media, Personal KM, Knowledge Maturity Model (KMM™).  The KM Institute works with SMEs/Speakers to deliver new KM-related video vignettes and we plan on adding up to 10 more before the end of the year!

So, Boris, I think we are doing a good job--providing a needed service, and we believe the market will decide.

If you’d like to discuss this issue further, let’s go offline.

Respectfully,

Douglas Weidner, Chairman, KM Institute