Project management certification has grown worldwide in support of the “projectization” movement by organizations around the world. This page provides a high level survey of project management certification in the world today.


1. Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM)
The AIPM project management certification is primarily geared toward Australian practitioners, although it is based on international standards and best practices.

The Australian Institute of Project Management specifies three levels project management certification, as determined by the AIPM’s RegPM ("Registered Project Manager") process. During the RegPM process, the practitioner’s workplace competency is assessed. The assessment results in granting project management certification by designating one of three levels for the individual:

1. Certified Practising Project Practitioner (CPPP)
2. Certified Practising Project Manager (CPPM)
3. Certified Practising Project Director (CPPD)

Recertification through Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is required after 3 years.


2. Advanced Project Management Certification (APMC)
The APMC is a specialized advanced project management certification. It is intended for senior project managers who are typically already PMP® certified. Candidates must complete two required courses and four of the elective courses in “The Kerzner Approach to Best Practices”, and pass a short online post-test for each course. The focus is on higher-level strategic project management issues, such as managing risk and quality and managing project portfolios. Instructors are experienced experts and practitioners, and the focus is on studying and analyzing current best practices at successful companies.


3. American Academy of Project Management (AAPM)
The AAPM offers project management certification based on an application that includes completion of education, exclusively by approved education institutions, and not private businesses. AAPM seems to avoid the commercial nature of some other project management certification credentials.

AAPM awards the following 4 credentials:

1. Master Project Manager (MPM)
2. Certified International Project Manager (CIPM)
3. Project Manager E-Business (PME)
4. Certified Planning Engineer (CPE)

4. BrainBench project management certification
BrainBench offers a project management certification that borrows from the Project Management Institute (PMI), as the exam is based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) of the PMI. BrainBench claims a somewhat unique position in project management certification by “delivering easy-to-use assessment products that predict success on the job.” Thus the BrainBench approach is assessment oriented, and it is targeted to organizations rather than individual practitioners.


5. CompTIA Project+
CompTIA Project+ project management certification is intended to elevate the skills of project managers within an organization, and creating a common project management language among project team members. As with all CompTIA certifications, it is geared toward IT. There is no evidence of strong market value for CompTIA Project+ project management certification.

CompTIA Project+ is an inexpensive, streamlined, uncomplicated project management certification that has no prerequisites and no application process. However, there is a test based on international standards. CompTIA Project+ is targeted to teams or organizations that want to rapidly get up and running rapidly by getting everyone “on the same page” about project management. No continuing education is required to maintain CompTIA Project+ certification.


6. International Project Management Association (IPMA)
The IPMA, a Swiss organization, is “the oldest in the project management profession”. It is primarily comprised of national project management associations worldwide, including 45 national project management associations on the international level.

The IPMA also maintains a project management certification program, where the IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB) is the basis for the IPMA certification system. Certification is an independent third party assessment based on of the following:

• Self assessment
• Written exam
• Report on the management of a project, program or portfolio
• Interview

There are four levels of project management certification as follows:

1. IPMA Level A - Certified Projects Director
2. IPMA Level B - Certified Senior Project Manager
3. IPMA Level C - Certified Project Manager
4. IPMA Level D - Certified Project Management Associate

7. PRINCE2
PRINCE2 is the de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and is widely recognized and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally, primarily outside the United States. The key features of PRINCE2 are:

• Projects driven by business justification
• Structured team organizational structure
• Product-based planning
• Breaking up a project into manageable and controllable stages
• Flexibility appropriate to the project size and complexity

The PRINCE2 project management certification has the following two levels:

1. PRINCE2 Foundation
2. PRINCE2 Practitioner

PRINCE2 Practitioners need to complete the PRINCE2 Practitioner re-registration exam every 3-5 years to keep their qualification up to date.


8. Project Management Institute (PMI)
The Project Management Professional (PMP) project management certification for experienced professionals is the most widely recognized worldwide, but recognition and importance does depend on locale. The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an entry level project management certification and does not require experience.

Requirements for the PMP include:

• Bachelor's degree and 4,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups, OR, a secondary school diploma and 7,500 hours of PM experience in the five process groups
• 35 contact hours of classroom instruction related to project management
• Pass the PMP exam, consisting of 200 multiple-choice questions in up to 4 hours
• 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs), where one contact hour = 1 PDU, every 3 years to maintain the PMP project management certification