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How we thinkIPMA and PMI certificationfit together

Based on a number of enquires we have in the Danish Project Management Associationcompared the IPMA Certification Levels D and C - and the Project ManagementInstitutes PMP .

Even though the two programmes are quite different both in structure and handling theAssociations Certification Organisation concludes that it considers PMP to be at a levelbetween IPMA Level D and IPMA Level C.

It should be noted that no agreement on comparison between the certification levelsexists between the International Project Management Association (IPMA) and theProject Management Institute (PMI).

8/3/2019 081009 Comparison of IPMA and PMP[1]

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IPMA 2.6 / 08-10-06

IPMA Level D and PMP

As to the comparison between IPMA Level D and PMP the perception is - briefly - thatthe following aspects seem to indicate that PMP is at a higher, verified competencelevel compared with IPMA Level D: For IPMA Level D only recommendation to a minimum extent of experiences as to

project management is given. IPMA Level D does not include re-certification.

On the other side we believe that the following aspects indicate that IPMA Level Dreflects a higher verified competence level than PMP:

IPMA Level D examination of three hours includes resolving of various practical tasksof project management and the result is assessed by two competent assessors.

IPMA Level D includes self-assessment of both method applications and leadership

behaviour also assessed by assessors and by use of referees.

To sum up it is however our perception that PMP presents a higher verified competencelevel than IPMA Level D.

IPMA Level C and PMP

As to the comparison between PMP and IPMA Level C our perception is - again briefly -that:

The basis for IPMA Certification in Denmark - Competencies in Project

Management- provides a broad coverage of project management aspects by, forexample, including planning and evaluation of project management, management ofcorporate project processes and leadership behaviour at project management.

IPMA Level C requires that the project managers extent of experiences is verified bythe complexity level of the projects.

The written examination at IPMA Level C is mostly about how to handle practicalproject management tasks, and each candidates result is assessed by twocompetent assessors.

IPMA Level C requires both demonstration of experience application and verifiedassessment of the levels for method applications and exercised leadershipbehaviour.

IPMA Level C implies at least one of two referees to be interviewed. At IPMA Level C a self-assessment of method applications and leadership behaviour

is assessed by two assessors. IPMA Level C includes a personal interview meeting between the candidate and the

two assessors.

To sum up our perception is that IPMA Level C presents a higher verified competencelevel than PMP.

The steering group for

IPMA Certification in Denmark