Standards for the Design, Approval, Delivery, Assessment, Award, Renewal, and Quality Assurance of Professional Certifications
Summary
The ATU-CPAC Professional Certification Standards provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring that professional certifications are credible, competency-based, assessment-driven, quality assured, ethically governed, and verifiable.
These standards ensure that certification is not based on attendance alone, but on demonstrated competence, valid assessment evidence, impartial certification decisions, and documented quality assurance.
Through these standards, ATU-CPAC protects the value of ATU-issued professional certifications and strengthens trust among certified professionals, employers, training providers, assessment centers, institutions, partners, and stakeholders.
1. Purpose of the Standards
The ATU-CPAC Professional Certification Standards define the requirements for developing, approving, assessing, awarding, maintaining, renewing, suspending, withdrawing, and verifying professional certifications governed by the Arab Trainers Union Council for Professional Accreditation and Certification.
These standards are intended to ensure that professional certifications are based on clear competency requirements, valid assessment methods, ethical practice, impartial decisions, documented evidence, quality assurance controls, and transparent registry verification.
ATU-CPAC regulates and governs professional certification requirements, while all professional certifications are issued in the name and under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union.
These standards apply to professional certification schemes delivered directly by ATU, by ATU-approved providers, by authorized assessment centers, or through approved partners within the scope authorized by ATU-CPAC.
Standard 1: Certification Governance and Authority
1.1 Certification Authority
Professional certifications governed by ATU-CPAC must be issued exclusively in the name and under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union.
ATU-CPAC is responsible for regulating, organizing, governing, overseeing, and assuring compliance with certification standards, requirements, assessment criteria, quality assurance procedures, registry controls, and renewal requirements.
1.2 Certification Scheme Ownership
Each professional certification scheme must have a defined owner, governing authority, approval route, scope, level, target audience, assessment requirements, certification decision process, and renewal requirements.
1.3 Approved Certification Only
No provider, partner, trainer, assessor, or assessment center may create, advertise, deliver, assess, or award an ATU professional certification unless the certification has been approved by ATU-CPAC and authorized under the approved scope.
1.4 Separation of Roles
The professional certification process must distinguish between:
- Training delivery
- Candidate support
- Assessment administration
- Assessment marking
- Internal quality assurance
- Certification decision
- Certificate issuance
- Registry verification
The final certification decision remains under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union through approved ATU-CPAC procedures.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Certification scheme approval document
- Certification title approval record
- Scope of certification
- Governance and responsibility matrix
- Certification decision procedure
- Approved provider or assessment center authorization records
- Certification committee or approval panel records
- Version control records
- Certification issuance authority statement
Standard 2: Certification Scope, Levels, and Titles
2.1 Certification Scope
Each professional certification must define the professional field, occupational area, competency scope, target role, and limitations of the certification.
The scope must clearly explain what the certified professional is recognized as competent to perform.
2.2 Certification Levels
ATU-CPAC may approve professional certifications at different professional levels, such as:
- Foundation
- Associate
- Professional
- Advanced
- Executive
- Expert
- Fellow
Each level must have clear expectations related to knowledge, skills, autonomy, complexity, responsibility, experience, and professional impact.
2.3 Certification Title
The certification title must be clear, professionally appropriate, not misleading, and aligned with the approved scope and level.
The title should not imply statutory licensing, governmental authorization, or regulated professional permission unless such recognition has been formally granted by the relevant competent authority.
2.4 Regulated Sectors
Where a certification relates to a regulated profession or sector, the certification must not be presented as replacing governmental licensing, professional registration, or statutory approval unless expressly recognized by the relevant authority.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Approved certification title
- Certification level descriptor
- Scope statement
- Target professional role description
- Sector applicability statement
- Regulated profession disclaimer where applicable
- Certification pathway map
- Public information statement
Standard 3: Competency Framework and Professional Standards
3.1 Competency-Based Certification
Professional certification must be based on defined competencies, not attendance alone.
The candidate must demonstrate the required professional knowledge, practical skills, ethical awareness, judgment, and applied competence through approved assessment methods.
3.2 Competency Framework
Each certification scheme must include a competency framework that defines:
- Core knowledge areas
- Technical competencies
- Practical skills
- Professional behaviors
- Ethical requirements
- Decision-making expectations
- Communication requirements
- Evidence requirements
- Performance indicators
- Level descriptors
3.3 Professional Relevance
The competency framework must be relevant to current professional practice and must reflect real workplace expectations.
3.4 Learning Outcome Alignment
Where the certification includes a training program, the learning outcomes must align directly with the certification competencies and assessment criteria.
3.5 Review and Updating
Competency frameworks must be reviewed periodically to ensure professional relevance, sector alignment, and continued credibility.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Competency framework
- Occupational or professional role analysis
- Knowledge and skills map
- Learning outcome mapping
- Assessment criteria mapping
- Sector consultation records where applicable
- Review and update records
- Version control records
Standard 4: Candidate Eligibility and Entry Requirements
4.1 Eligibility Criteria
Each certification scheme must define clear candidate eligibility requirements.
Eligibility may include:
- Educational background
- Professional experience
- Prior training
- Existing certification
- Professional membership
- Portfolio evidence
- Language ability where required
- Technical skills
- Sector experience
- Ethical declaration
4.2 Fair Access
Eligibility criteria must be fair, transparent, relevant to the certification level, and not unnecessarily restrictive.
4.3 Candidate Verification
The candidate’s identity, eligibility, qualifications, experience, and submitted evidence must be verified before certification is awarded.
4.4 Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience
Where approved, ATU-CPAC may allow Recognition of Prior Learning or Recognition of Prior Experience as part of the eligibility or assessment process.
RPL must be evidence-based and must not replace required assessment unless the approved certification scheme allows it.
4.5 Candidate Declaration
Candidates must confirm that all submitted documents, qualifications, experience claims, and assessment evidence are true, authentic, and their own work.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Eligibility criteria
- Candidate application form
- Identity verification record
- Qualification evidence
- Experience evidence
- RPL policy where applicable
- Candidate declaration
- Evidence authenticity declaration
- Admission decision record
- Candidate registration record
Standard 5: Certification Program and Preparation Requirements
5.1 Certification Preparation
Where a training or preparation program is linked to a professional certification, it must be aligned with the approved certification scheme and competency framework.
5.2 Training Is Not Certification
Completion of a training course does not automatically grant professional certification unless the candidate also meets the approved assessment and certification requirements.
5.3 Candidate Information
Candidates must receive clear information before registration, including:
- Certification title
- Certification level
- Scope and purpose
- Entry requirements
- Training requirements where applicable
- Assessment methods
- Passing requirements
- Fees
- Retake rules
- Appeals process
- Renewal requirements
- Registry and verification rules
- Code of ethics
- Conditions for suspension or withdrawal
5.4 Approved Delivery
Only ATU-approved providers or authorized partners may deliver certification preparation programs where the program is linked to an ATU professional certification.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Candidate handbook
- Certification pathway guide
- Program specification where applicable
- Training materials
- Candidate communication records
- Provider authorization records
- Registration terms and conditions
- Fee and retake information
- Candidate acceptance records
Standard 6: Assessment Design and Methodology
6.1 Assessment Requirement
Professional certification must include appropriate assessment to confirm that candidates meet the required competencies.
6.2 Valid Assessment
Assessment must measure the intended competencies, learning outcomes, professional skills, knowledge, and ethical requirements of the certification.
6.3 Reliable Assessment
Assessment decisions must be consistent across candidates, assessors, assessment centers, delivery providers, and assessment sessions.
6.4 Fair Assessment
Assessment must be fair, impartial, transparent, accessible, and free from bias or inappropriate influence.
6.5 Assessment Methods
Professional certification assessment may include one or more of the following:
- Knowledge examination
- Scenario-based questions
- Case study analysis
- Professional project
- Practical task
- Portfolio of evidence
- Workplace evidence
- Professional discussion
- Oral questioning
- Observation of performance
- Simulation-based assessment
- Presentation
- Reflective report
- Professional interview
- Assessment center activity
6.6 Assessment Blueprint
Each certification scheme must have an assessment blueprint that defines:
- Assessment components
- Competencies assessed
- Weighting of each component
- Assessment duration
- Question types
- Evidence requirements
- Passing criteria
- Resubmission or retake rules
- Grading method
- Quality assurance arrangements
6.7 Assessment Difficulty
Assessment must be appropriate to the certification level. Higher-level certifications should require more complex judgment, analysis, professional application, leadership, strategic thinking, or expert-level evidence.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Assessment strategy
- Assessment blueprint
- Assessment instruments
- Exam specifications
- Practical assessment tasks
- Portfolio requirements
- Rubrics and marking guides
- Assessor guidance
- Model answers where applicable
- Validity review records
- Assessment approval records
Standard 7: Assessment Administration and Security
7.1 Secure Assessment Administration
Assessment must be administered securely to protect confidentiality, fairness, and integrity.
7.2 Candidate Identity Verification
Candidate identity must be verified before assessment.
7.3 Assessment Conditions
Assessment conditions must be clearly communicated and consistently applied.
These may include:
- Time limits
- Permitted materials
- Supervision requirements
- Online proctoring rules where applicable
- Submission deadlines
- Academic integrity rules
- Technical requirements
- Retake conditions
7.4 Security of Materials
Assessment materials, answer keys, marking schemes, candidate submissions, and result records must be stored securely and accessed only by authorized personnel.
7.5 Malpractice Prevention
The certification scheme must include controls to prevent cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, collusion, unauthorized assistance, falsified evidence, or assessment manipulation.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Assessment administration policy
- Candidate identity records
- Exam attendance records
- Invigilation reports
- Online proctoring records where applicable
- Assessment security logs
- Submission records
- Malpractice reports
- Incident reports
- Secure storage records
Standard 8: Assessor, Examiner, and Evaluation Panel Requirements
8.1 Assessor Competence
Assessors must be competent in the subject area, assessment methods, marking criteria, and professional standards of the certification.
8.2 Examiner Requirements
Where examinations are used, examiners or question writers must have appropriate subject expertise and assessment design competence.
8.3 Practical Evaluators
Where practical tasks, observations, projects, or portfolios are used, evaluators must have relevant professional experience and the ability to judge evidence against approved criteria.
8.4 Approval of Assessors
All assessors, examiners, evaluators, and panel members must be approved according to ATU-CPAC procedures.
8.5 Standardization
Assessors must participate in standardization activities to ensure consistent interpretation of assessment criteria.
8.6 Conflict of Interest
Assessors must declare conflicts of interest and must not assess candidates where impartiality may be compromised.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Assessor CVs
- Examiner CVs
- Evaluator approval records
- Qualification certificates
- Professional experience records
- Assessor training records
- Standardization meeting records
- Conflict of interest declarations
- Assessor performance reviews
- Assessor monitoring records
Standard 9: Internal Quality Assurance of Certification Assessment
9.1 IQA Requirement
Certification assessment must be subject to internal quality assurance before results are finalized.
9.2 IQA Sampling
Internal quality assurance sampling should include:
- Assessment tools
- Candidate submissions
- Assessor decisions
- Borderline results
- Failed results
- High-scoring results
- Different assessors
- Different assessment centers
- Different delivery providers
- Different assessment methods
9.3 IQA Review Areas
IQA review should examine:
- Validity of assessment
- Consistency of marking
- Quality of assessor feedback
- Sufficiency of candidate evidence
- Application of rubrics
- Evidence authenticity
- Compliance with procedures
- Security and recordkeeping
- Fairness and accessibility
9.4 Corrective Action
Where IQA identifies weaknesses, the certification body, provider, or assessment center must implement corrective action before final results are confirmed.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- IQA policy
- IQA sampling plan
- IQA reports
- Candidate evidence samples
- Assessor feedback records
- Standardization records
- Corrective action records
- Result approval records
- IQA sign-off records
Standard 10: External Quality Assurance and Certification Oversight
10.1 External Oversight
ATU-CPAC may apply external quality assurance to certification providers, assessment centers, assessors, candidate evidence, assessment tools, and certification decisions.
10.2 EQA Activities
External quality assurance may include:
- Review of assessment instruments
- Review of assessment results
- Sampling of candidate evidence
- Observation of assessment activities
- Audit of assessment centers
- Review of provider compliance
- Review of certificate requests
- Review of complaints and appeals
- Review of assessor and IQA records
- Review of malpractice cases
- Monitoring of registry data
10.3 EQA Findings
External quality assurance findings may result in:
- Approval of results
- Request for clarification
- Required corrective action
- Additional sampling
- Suspension of assessment activity
- Limitation of scope
- Recommendation for investigation
- Recommendation to suspend or withdraw authorization
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- EQA review reports
- External audit reports
- Sampling records
- Corrective action plans
- Provider monitoring reports
- Assessment center monitoring reports
- Result approval records
- EQA correspondence
- Follow-up verification records
Standard 11: Certification Decision and Award
11.1 Certification Decision
The certification decision must be based on documented evidence that the candidate has met all approved requirements.
11.2 Impartial Decision-Making
Certification decisions must be impartial and must not be influenced by commercial pressure, personal relationships, training attendance, provider interest, or inappropriate external influence.
11.3 Decision Criteria
The certification decision must consider:
- Candidate eligibility
- Completion of required assessment components
- Assessment results
- Evidence authenticity
- IQA approval
- EQA approval where required
- Ethics declaration
- Payment or administrative completion where applicable
- Compliance with certification rules
11.4 No Automatic Certification
A candidate must not be certified solely because they attended a course, paid fees, registered through a provider, or completed training hours.
11.5 Final Approval
Final approval for professional certification must follow ATU-CPAC procedures and be issued under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Candidate result record
- Assessment completion record
- Certification decision form
- IQA sign-off
- EQA approval where applicable
- Candidate eligibility checklist
- Ethics declaration
- Final approval record
- Certificate issuance approval
- Decision committee minutes where applicable
Standard 12: Grading, Passing, Retake, and Resubmission Rules
12.1 Passing Requirements
Each certification scheme must define clear passing requirements.
Passing requirements may include:
- Minimum exam score
- Minimum practical assessment score
- Portfolio approval
- Completion of all required components
- Achievement of all critical criteria
- Professional interview pass
- Ethics declaration completion
- No confirmed malpractice
12.2 Grading Method
The certification scheme must define whether assessment decisions are:
- Pass or fail
- Competent or not yet competent
- Graded levels
- Percentage-based
- Criteria-based
- Weighted by components
12.3 Retake Rules
Retake rules must be clear, fair, and consistently applied.
The rules should define:
- Number of permitted attempts
- Waiting period where applicable
- Retake fees
- Components that must be retaken
- Validity period of passed components
- Support available before retake
12.4 Resubmission Rules
Where portfolio, project, or assignment evidence is used, resubmission rules must define:
- What may be resubmitted
- Deadline for resubmission
- Feedback allowed
- Maximum number of resubmissions
- Reassessment procedure
- Academic integrity requirements
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Passing criteria
- Grading policy
- Retake policy
- Resubmission policy
- Candidate result records
- Reassessment records
- Feedback records
- Retake registration records
- Final decision records
Standard 13: Candidate Conduct, Ethics, and Professional Integrity
13.1 Candidate Code of Conduct
Candidates must comply with the approved code of conduct throughout registration, training, assessment, certification, and post-certification practice.
13.2 Academic and Professional Integrity
Candidates must submit authentic evidence and must not engage in cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, collusion, falsification, or misuse of certification materials.
13.3 Ethical Commitment
Candidates may be required to sign an ethics declaration confirming commitment to professional conduct, honesty, confidentiality, and responsible use of the certification title.
13.4 Misuse of Certification
Certified professionals must not misuse the certification title, misrepresent the scope of certification, use expired credentials, or claim authority beyond the approved certification scope.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Candidate code of conduct
- Ethics declaration
- Authenticity declaration
- Malpractice policy
- Candidate disciplinary records where applicable
- Misuse reports
- Investigation records
- Corrective action records
- Certification status change records
Standard 14: Complaints, Appeals, and Candidate Rights
14.1 Complaints
Candidates must have access to a clear complaints process for administrative, service, delivery, assessment, or procedural concerns.
14.2 Appeals
Candidates must have the right to appeal assessment or certification decisions according to approved ATU-CPAC procedures.
14.3 Appeal Scope
Appeals may relate to:
- Assessment decision
- Procedural error
- Reasonable adjustment decision
- Malpractice decision
- Certification refusal
- Suspension or withdrawal decision
- Registry status decision
14.4 Appeal Timeline
Appeals must be submitted within the approved timeframe, normally within 15 days from notification of the decision unless another approved policy applies.
14.5 Independent Review
Appeals should be reviewed by competent persons who were not involved in the original decision, where possible.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Complaints policy
- Appeals policy
- Complaint forms
- Appeal forms
- Investigation reports
- Decision letters
- Appeal panel records
- Corrective action records
- Communication records
- Final appeal outcome records
Standard 15: Certificate Issuance and Credential Format
15.1 Certificate Issuance Authority
Professional certification certificates must be issued in the name and under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union.
15.2 Certificate Information
A professional certification certificate should include appropriate information such as:
- Candidate name
- Certification title
- Certification level
- Certificate number
- Issue date
- Expiry date where applicable
- Issuing authority
- Verification method
- Authorized signature
- Seal or approved mark
- Scope or specialization where applicable
15.3 Certificate Controls
Certificate templates, numbers, seals, signatures, digital badges, and verification codes must be controlled to prevent misuse, duplication, unauthorized alteration, or false claims.
15.4 Certificate Replacement
Replacement certificates may only be issued according to approved procedures and after verification of identity and certificate status.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Certificate template approval
- Certificate issuance records
- Certificate numbering log
- Authorized signatory record
- Digital badge records where applicable
- Replacement certificate records
- Verification records
- Certificate cancellation records where applicable
Standard 16: Registry and Digital Verification
16.1 Registry Requirement
Professional certifications may be listed in an official ATU, ATU-CPAC, or approved verification registry.
16.2 Registry Data
Registry records may include:
- Certified professional name
- Certification title
- Certification level
- Certificate number
- Issue date
- Expiry date
- Status
- Scope or specialization
- Country
- Renewal status
- Suspension, withdrawal, or revocation status where legally and procedurally permissible
16.3 Verification Status
The registry must clearly distinguish between active, expired, suspended, withdrawn, revoked, or invalid credentials.
16.4 Data Protection
Registry publication must comply with applicable data protection requirements and approved consent procedures.
16.5 Verification Reliability
Verification systems must be accurate, secure, regularly updated, and protected from unauthorized changes.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Registry policy
- Candidate consent records
- Registry submission records
- Verification logs
- Status update records
- Renewal update records
- Suspension or withdrawal records
- Data correction records
- Access control records
Standard 17: Renewal and Continuing Professional Development
17.1 Certification Validity
Each certification scheme must define the validity period of the certification.
17.2 Renewal Requirements
Renewal requirements may include:
- Continuing professional development
- Professional practice evidence
- Updated ethics declaration
- Renewal fee
- Refresher assessment where applicable
- Updated portfolio
- Evidence of professional activity
- Compliance with code of conduct
- No unresolved disciplinary issues
17.3 CPD Requirements
Where CPD is required, the certification scheme must define:
- Minimum CPD hours or points
- Acceptable CPD activities
- Evidence requirements
- CPD review process
- CPD reporting timeline
- Consequences of non-compliance
17.4 Expired Certification
A certified professional whose certification has expired must not present the credential as active.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Certification validity policy
- Renewal policy
- CPD requirements
- CPD submission records
- Renewal application forms
- Renewal decision records
- Expired certification records
- Registry status updates
- Reinstatement records where applicable
Standard 18: Suspension, Withdrawal, Revocation, and Reinstatement
18.1 Grounds for Suspension
Certification may be suspended where there is evidence or reasonable concern related to:
- Misuse of certification title
- False or misleading information
- Breach of code of conduct
- Failure to meet renewal requirements
- Assessment malpractice
- Professional misconduct
- Non-payment of required fees where applicable
- Failure to cooperate with investigation
- Serious complaint under review
18.2 Grounds for Withdrawal or Revocation
Certification may be withdrawn or revoked where there is confirmed serious misconduct, fraud, falsified evidence, unauthorized use of credentials, major ethical breach, or damage to the credibility of ATU-issued credentials.
18.3 Due Process
Before final suspension, withdrawal, or revocation, the certified professional should be informed of the concern and given an opportunity to respond, except where urgent protective action is required.
18.4 Registry Update
Where certification is suspended, withdrawn, revoked, or expired, the registry status must be updated according to approved procedures.
18.5 Reinstatement
Reinstatement may be considered where the certified professional meets approved corrective, renewal, reassessment, or ethical requirements.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Suspension policy
- Withdrawal and revocation policy
- Investigation records
- Candidate or professional response records
- Decision letters
- Appeal records
- Registry update records
- Reinstatement applications
- Corrective action records
Standard 19: Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience
19.1 Purpose of RPL
Recognition of Prior Learning or Recognition of Prior Experience may be used to recognize relevant professional experience, prior training, qualifications, or workplace evidence.
19.2 RPL Limitations
RPL must not weaken the credibility of certification. It must be evidence-based, documented, assessed, and quality assured.
19.3 RPL Evidence
RPL evidence may include:
- Professional CV
- Employment letters
- Work samples
- Prior certificates
- Professional portfolio
- Employer confirmation
- Project evidence
- Professional licenses where applicable
- Interview or professional discussion
- Practical demonstration where required
19.4 RPL Decision
RPL decisions must be made against approved criteria and must be internally quality assured.
19.5 Assessment Requirement
Where the certification scheme requires direct assessment, RPL may support eligibility or exemption from training, but it should not automatically replace certification assessment unless expressly approved.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- RPL policy
- RPL application form
- Evidence checklist
- RPL assessor report
- Professional discussion record
- RPL decision record
- IQA review record
- Candidate notification record
Standard 20: Certification Scheme Review and Continuous Improvement
20.1 Periodic Review
Each professional certification scheme must be reviewed periodically to ensure continued relevance, fairness, validity, reliability, and professional value.
20.2 Review Inputs
Review may consider:
- Candidate performance data
- Assessment results
- Employer feedback
- Candidate feedback
- Assessor feedback
- Provider feedback
- Complaints and appeals
- Malpractice reports
- Sector developments
- Technology changes
- Professional practice updates
- EQA findings
- Registry and renewal data
20.3 Improvement Actions
Review findings must lead to documented improvement actions where required.
20.4 Version Control
Any changes to certification requirements, assessment methods, titles, levels, competency frameworks, or renewal criteria must be documented and approved.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Certification review reports
- Feedback analysis
- Performance data
- Assessment statistics
- Improvement plans
- Updated competency frameworks
- Updated assessment tools
- Approval records
- Version control records
- Communication of changes
Standard 21: Provider and Assessment Center Compliance
21.1 Approved Scope
Approved providers and authorized assessment centers must operate only within the approved scope granted by ATU-CPAC.
21.2 Provider Responsibilities
Providers delivering certification preparation programs must:
- Use approved program materials
- Provide accurate candidate information
- Maintain qualified trainers
- Support candidates appropriately
- Avoid misleading claims
- Follow approved marketing rules
- Submit accurate candidate records
- Cooperate with audits and monitoring
21.3 Assessment Center Responsibilities
Authorized assessment centers must:
- Administer assessments securely
- Verify candidate identity
- Follow assessment instructions
- Protect assessment materials
- Maintain assessment records
- Report incidents
- Prevent malpractice
- Cooperate with IQA and EQA
- Submit accurate results
21.4 No Independent Certification Issuance
Providers and assessment centers must not issue ATU professional certifications independently.
Compliance Evidence
Providers and assessment centers should maintain:
- Approved scope documents
- Candidate registration records
- Trainer and assessor records
- Assessment administration records
- Incident reports
- Result submission records
- Marketing approval records
- Monitoring and audit reports
- Corrective action records
Standard 22: Public Information and Marketing of Certification
22.1 Accurate Public Information
All public information about professional certifications must be accurate, current, complete, and not misleading.
22.2 Required Public Information
Public information should include:
- Certification title
- Certification level
- Certification purpose
- Target audience
- Entry requirements
- Assessment requirements
- Passing requirements
- Certificate issuance authority
- Renewal requirements
- Fees where applicable
- Registry and verification information
- Scope limitations
- Regulated profession disclaimer where applicable
22.3 Prohibited Claims
Providers, partners, and certified professionals must not claim:
- Guaranteed certification without assessment
- Government license unless officially granted
- Unlimited professional authority
- Accreditation beyond approved scope
- Certificate issuance authority without approval
- Lifetime validity unless approved
- International equivalence without formal agreement
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Website content review records
- Brochures and advertisements
- Social media samples
- Approved wording guide
- Provider marketing approvals
- Public information audit records
- Correction notices where applicable
Standard 23: Data Protection, Confidentiality, and Records
23.1 Candidate Records
Candidate records must be accurate, secure, complete, and retrievable.
23.2 Confidentiality
Assessment materials, candidate evidence, results, personal data, complaints, appeals, and certification decisions must be handled confidentially.
23.3 Data Protection
Personal data must be processed according to applicable data protection laws and ATU-CPAC policies.
23.4 Record Retention
Records must be retained for the period required by ATU-CPAC policy, legal requirements, or certification scheme rules.
23.5 Access Control
Only authorized personnel may access candidate records, assessment materials, results, certificate data, and registry systems.
Compliance Evidence
The certification scheme should maintain:
- Records management policy
- Data protection policy
- Candidate consent forms
- Secure storage records
- Access control records
- Assessment archives
- Result records
- Certificate records
- Registry records
- Data correction records
- Data breach reports where applicable
Certification Assessment Methodology
ATU-CPAC may assess certification compliance using a combination of the following methods:
1. Certification Scheme Review
Review of the certification title, level, scope, competency framework, assessment strategy, certification decision process, renewal requirements, and registry controls.
2. Document Review
Review of policies, procedures, candidate files, assessment tools, rubrics, assessor records, IQA records, EQA records, complaints, appeals, and certificate issuance records.
3. Assessment Tool Review
Evaluation of whether exams, projects, portfolios, interviews, practical tasks, and rubrics are valid, reliable, fair, and aligned with the competency framework.
4. Candidate Evidence Sampling
Sampling of candidate submissions, assessment decisions, feedback, portfolios, exam records, and practical evidence.
5. Assessor and IQA Review
Review of assessor qualifications, standardization records, marking consistency, IQA sampling, and corrective action.
6. Provider or Assessment Center Audit
Audit of approved providers or assessment centers involved in certification delivery, assessment administration, candidate support, or result submission.
7. Registry and Certificate Verification Review
Review of certificate issuance controls, certificate numbering, digital verification, registry status, renewal records, and suspension or withdrawal records.
8. Corrective Action Follow-Up
Verification that required corrective actions have been implemented effectively and within the approved timeline.
Compliance Rating System
ATU-CPAC may classify certification compliance findings as follows:
Compliant
The certification scheme, provider, assessment center, assessor, or certified professional meets the applicable standard and maintains sufficient evidence.
Minor Non-Compliance
The requirement is generally met, but documentation, consistency, monitoring, communication, or implementation requires improvement.
Major Non-Compliance
A key certification requirement is not met, creating risk to assessment validity, fairness, certification integrity, candidate protection, registry accuracy, or public trust.
Critical Non-Compliance
There is serious failure, fraud, malpractice, unauthorized certificate issuance, false claims, compromised assessment security, data misuse, or conduct that threatens the credibility of ATU-issued professional certifications.
Certification Decisions
Based on the assessment outcome, ATU-CPAC may recommend one or more of the following certification-related decisions under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union:
- Certification scheme approved
- Certification scheme approved with conditions
- Certification scheme deferred pending corrective action
- Certification scheme limited to a specific scope or level
- Candidate certification approved
- Candidate certification refused
- Candidate result referred for reassessment
- Certification renewed
- Certification expired
- Certification suspended
- Certification withdrawn
- Certification revoked
- Provider or assessment center authorization suspended
- Provider or assessment center authorization withdrawn
- Registry status updated
Obligations of Certified Professionals
A certified professional must:
- Use the certification title accurately
- Operate within the approved scope of certification
- Follow the applicable code of ethics
- Avoid misrepresentation
- Maintain professional competence
- Complete renewal or CPD requirements where applicable
- Report relevant changes where required
- Avoid misuse of ATU, ATU-CPAC, or certification marks
- Cooperate with complaints or investigations
- Stop using the certification title if expired, suspended, withdrawn, or revoked
- Maintain evidence of ongoing professional practice where required
Obligations of Approved Certification Providers
An approved certification provider must:
- Deliver only approved certification preparation programs
- Operate within the approved scope
- Use approved materials and information
- Maintain qualified trainers and support staff
- Provide accurate candidate guidance
- Avoid promising guaranteed certification
- Maintain candidate records
- Cooperate with monitoring and audits
- Report candidate information accurately
- Follow ATU-CPAC marketing rules
- Protect candidate data
- Implement corrective actions where required
Obligations of Authorized Assessment Centers
An authorized assessment center must:
- Administer only approved assessments
- Verify candidate identity
- Maintain assessment security
- Follow approved assessment conditions
- Prevent and report malpractice
- Maintain assessment records
- Use approved assessors or invigilators
- Submit results accurately
- Cooperate with IQA and EQA
- Protect assessment materials
- Avoid issuing certificates independently
- Operate only within the approved scope
Minimum Certification Scheme File Requirements
Each professional certification scheme should maintain a complete certification file containing:
- Certification scheme approval document
- Certification title and level approval
- Scope statement
- Competency framework
- Eligibility requirements
- Candidate handbook
- Assessment strategy
- Assessment blueprint
- Assessment instruments
- Marking rubrics and assessor guides
- Assessor and examiner approval records
- IQA policy and sampling records
- EQA review records
- Candidate registration records
- Candidate assessment records
- Certification decision records
- Certificate issuance records
- Registry and verification records
- Complaints and appeals records
- Malpractice and investigation records
- Renewal and CPD records
- Suspension, withdrawal, or revocation records
- Annual certification review reports
Version control records