Members enjoy development opportunities through the Open University

CILIP is delighted to announce an agreement that will entitle all personal 
members to claim a 10% discount on Open University continuing professional 
development (CPD) short courses. Designed to build on the distinctive 
strengths of the OU from its years of expertise in work-based learning, the 
CPD courses are offered in bite-sized one to two hour chunks and normally 
take between 20-30 hours to complete. 

The courses cover topics such as Leadership, Communications, Strategy and 
People Management.  Not only will they be directly relevant to members 
working towards CILIP’s own qualifications (Certification, Chartership, 
Fellowship and Revalidation) they are clearly likely to be of interest to all CILIP 
members. Completing one of these courses will contribute to members' 
personal development and give candidates for CILIP's professional 
qualifications useful material to include in their professional portfolios.

“The OU has been hiding its capabilities within the confines of its standard 
degree programs for too long! Our expertise in flexible, work-based, supported 
open learning also lends itself superbly to meet the ongoing CPD needs of 
professionals. Our CPD certification distinguishes us from run-of-the-mill 
training courses – it provides members, their employers and CILIP with the 
evidence of the quality, relevance and application to practice of their CPD 
activity,” says David Robinson, Business Development Manager Professional 
Bodies.  

Marion Huckle, Head, Qualifications and Professional Development at CILIP is 
enthusiastic about the potential for enhancing CILIP members’ careers: 

“This is a great opportunity for members to study with the Open University. 
The courses will help members develop new skills and ensure they keep up-to-
date and competitive across the sector.  The courses should give them useful 
evidence to include in portfolio applications for Certification, Chartership and 
Revalidation, and help them learn more about many of the issues that are hot 
topics for all library and information practitioners.”

Details and a full up-to-date list of the OU CPD courses are available at 
www.open.ac.uk/cpd and via the banner “If you belong to a Professional 
Body”. 

The Open University has recently been awarded the CILIP Seal of Recognition. 
To find out more and to see other organizations that have the Seal, please 
view the website at www.cilip.org.uk/seal.  

Press contact:

Michael Martin
Adviser, Qualifications and Professional Development at CILIP, 
Tel: 020 7255 0610
Email: [log in to unmask] 
www.cilip.org.uk/qualifications  

Further information from OU:
Tel: 0870 900 9577 
Email: [log in to unmask] 

Notes to editors:

1. CILIP the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals:
 is the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and 
knowledge managers. It forms a community of around 36,000 people engaged 
in library and information work, of whom around 21,000 are CILIP Members and 
around 15,000 are regular customers of CILIP Enterprises. CILIP members work 
in all sectors, including business and industry, science and technology, further 
and higher education, schools, local and central government, the health 
service, the voluntary sector, national and public libraries. For more 
information about CILIP go to www.cilip.org.uk 

2. CILIP qualifications: Certification, Chartership, Fellowship and Revalidation 
are qualifications made by CILIP to its members who meet criteria, agreed with 
the Privy Council, by gathering a portfolio of evidence and reflecting on their 
development 

3. CILIP Accreditation: CILIP accredits Library and Information Bachelors and 
Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters courses run by universities in the UK to 
ensure they teach the core knowledge needed to start practising in the 
information profession. Graduates from these courses are automatically eligible 
to start the Chartership process.

4. CILIP Seal of Recognition: The Seal of Recognition directs CILIP members to 
short courses that will support their professional development. 

5. Open University CPD courses: Short courses offered by the Open University 
to practitioners in many fields to support their development, for which 
candidates can claim discount if their institute has an agreement with the OU.