l Relevance of the course to the profes- sional standard (CILIP’s Professional Knowledge and Skills Base)


l The learning provider is providing a high-quality learning experience


l The learning provider engages with employers to ensure that programmes are relevant


l Staff and trainers are up to date with current professional practice


l Learners are encouraged to engage with their professional body CILIP


Knowledge and Skills


The courses themselves are assessed using CILIP’s Professional Knowledge and Skills Base (PKSB www.cilip.org.uk/pksb) which has been developed in consultation with employers, academic institutions, CILIP members and other key stakeholders. The PKSB is frequently revised to reflect the evolving skills needed for a successful career, it includes “core principles” such as ethics and values at its centre, then “professional expertise” like collection management and development, or data management, and then “generic skills”,


which range from customer focus to lead- ership and strategy. Accreditation requires the learning provider to demonstrate how their course maps on to the PKSB.


Employers Links with employers are a high priority for prospective students and accredita- tion ensures that employers are involved in course design and delivery. As a professional body, CILIP’s own links to employers exist on many levels. A key one is through its Employer Partners scheme (www.cilip.org.uk/page/EmployerPartner) which includes government departments, local authorities, academic institutions and libraries, as well as private companies, but also through its Information Profes- sional Jobs (https://informationprofessionaljobs. com/) service. CILIP also has long-standing relationships with recruitment agencies, and many CILIP members will have hiring responsibilities in all sectors.


International


For students looking to take their quali- fications abroad, CILIP’s memoranda of understanding with sister organisations the American Library Association (ALA), the Aus-


tralian Library and Information Associa- tion (ALIA) and the Library Association of Ireland (LAI), give students portability of degrees for international careers.


Courses on a plate As well as the benefits of accredited courses mentioned here, links to all the courses can be found in one place, the CILIP website (www.cilip.org.uk/Qualifica- tions) – giving prospective students easy access to courses they want to compare and making the qualification pages a valuable tool for finding right course. Not only will the quality of the courses on the list all meet a certain standard, the list will also include details of any new courses when they are launched, while also keeping track of which courses are still available, or open to applications.


Keeping up to date CILIP periodically reviews all products and services, to ensure they remain first in class. The accreditation service is cur- rently undergoing that review process. More details will be shared with key stakeholders and the wider community in due course. IP


How to choose accredited courses


We take a look at the factors you should consider when you’re choosing a CILIP accredited course and why accreditation will make the whole process easier.


A CILIP accredited course should give learners confidence that course content is high quality and has been tested against the professional standard by an independent asses- sor. It is the best preparation for professional practice and as well as certifying quality learning and deliv- ery, it also ensures relevance to the employment market.


Thirteen universities and colleges across the UK offer CILIP accredited courses ranging from foundation through to mas- ter’s degrees. It is a manageable number of institutions for a prospective student to evaluate all their options and accred- itation should make the process even more streamlined, because all the courses


32 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL


and institutions have been scrutinised by CILIP. As our case study suggests on page 34, a lot of time can be saved if you spend time clearly defining your goals when you start.


However, the decision may still not be easy. Accreditation means uniformity of quality, not uniformity of content. So prospective students may have to weigh up their personal circumstances and their personal goals to find the way forward.


Inside info


Dr Jessica Bates, Senior Lecturer and Course Director for the PG Dip and MSc in Library and Information Management at Ulster sets out some issues for prospec- tive students to consider when applying:


l Is the course professionally accredited? This will give you and employers confi- dence that you will be learning the skills and knowledge needed for our profession;


l What mode of delivery would work best for you? For example, a fully online part-time course can offer you flexibility to work and study at the same time but it will take longer;


l Some courses are designed for those already working in the sector but others might offer a work placement as part of the course;


l Get to know people who have completed a professional course and find out where they studied and if they would recommend that course;


September 2023


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