 |
|
|
Accreditation: Earn your ABC
Becoming an Accredited Business Communicator
Click here to download an IABC Accreditation Form
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is an IABC professional development program offering communicators a way of demonstrating to employers, fellow communicators and themselves their ability to successfully manage and perform those tasks essential to effective organizational communication. Candidates meeting all requirements of the program earn the designation Accredited Business Communicator (ABC).
Why should you become accredited?
If you are a professional communicator, IABC's accreditation program is a means by which you can gauge your career progress. The ABC following your name tells your peers, current and prospective employers and, perhaps most importantly, you, that you have successfully completed this challenging program. It's interesting to note that IABC's biennial survey of the profession, Profile, shows that accredited members' average salary is significantly higher than that of the non accredited member.
What are the requirements?
You must have a minimum of five years' experience in the communication profession and a bachelor's degree, or a total of nine years of experience and/or post-secondary education to qualify for accreditation.
What does becoming accredited involve?
The accreditation process involves three separate steps. First, you must submit your application and an international bank draft for half of the accreditation fee. After your application has been approved, you submit your portfolio of work samples demonstrating the range of communication projects you've been responsible for and showing how well you understand communication planning. Finally, there's an examination consisting of four hours of written testing and thirty minutes of oral.
How much?
US$275.00 for IABC members
What are the portfolio deadlines?
Portfolios are accepted for evaluation throughout the year.
How long does it take to approve my application?
2-3 days
How long does it take to approve my portfolio?
6 - 8 weeks
How long does it take to receive the results from the oral and written exam?
60 - 90 days
How do I get a brochure?
Send an e-mail message or fax your request to the IABC Service Centre (415) 544-4747.
Becoming an Accredited Business Communicator
Why should you go for the ABC?
If you are an established professional communicator, IABC's accreditation program enables you to gauge your career progress in the field of organizational communication against that of recognized experts in the field.
The accreditation program is aimed at the skills-practicing manager or the person who has developed the well-rounded professional expertise to move into communication management. Earning your IABC accreditation demonstrates to your fellow communicators, to present or prospective employers and clients, and (perhaps most importantly) to yourself, that you have attained this important milestone in professional development.
The ABC designation recognizes personal and professional achievement. Each year, the value of accreditation as a measure of professional accomplishment becomes more evident to placement firms, communication managers and others who make hiring decisions.
Many candidates find that the accreditation process itself is highly valuable - the application, qualification, which involves preparing their portfolio, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, and reviewing the principles and practices of organizational communication.
To meet the requirements for accreditation, you should:
* understand the goals and philosophy of organizational communication,
* appreciate the role of the communicator and communication in modern organizations, including understanding what communication can and cannot do,
* have the knowledge to plan, direct and implement a broad range of communication programs,
* have the skills and abilities to apply that knowledge to practical, real-life situations.
Prerequisites
You are a candidate for accreditation if you are a professional communicator with a minimum of five years of experience in the profession and a bachelor's degree, or a total of nine years of combined post-secondary education and/or experience.
Years of full-time
communication experience Degree or years of
post-secondary education
Nine None
Eight One year
Seven Associates of Arts degree/two years
Six Three years
Five Bachelor's degree or higher
You must also have a reputation for abiding by the principles of accuracy, truthfulness, sensitivity and IABC's Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators.
Steps in achieving accreditation
The accreditation process involves three separate steps. You must successfully complete each step before you can proceed to the next.
Application
Provide information on your education and work experience, to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications for accreditation.
Qualification
Submit a portfolio of work samples to demonstrate the range of communication projects or programs you've been responsible for and your ability to plan and work strategically.
Examination
Test your knowledge of communication and management skills. The exam is four and one-half hours and includes a written and oral test.
Each portion of the accreditation process contributes to your score. The portfolio grade counts for 25 percent of the total, the written exam counts for 58 percent of the total, and the oral exam counts for 17 percent of the total.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preparing for accreditation
Most Accredited Business Communicators have accumulated their professional knowledge and skills through a combination of education and experience. There is no specific material to study for the examination although some review may be helpful, particularly if a lot of time has passed since you've taken an exam.
Accreditation covers a wide variety of skills. Some are considered essential for all communicators and will be included on every examination. These are:
* Goal setting
* Audience/constituent research
* Writing communication plans
* Budgeting and cost control
* Oral presentation
* Project management
* Time management
* Measuring effectiveness
* Writing proposals for communication programs
* General management skills
* Written communication
* Managing employee communication programs
* Media relations
* Communication ethics
* Problem-solving and consulting skills
* Organizational culture and politics
* Investor/shareholder communication
* Technology
Other skills are more job-specific and are optional. Many questions in the exam have a number of options, allowing you to answer the one that best reflects your experience and knowledge. Skills covered in these optional questions include:
* Writing news and features
* Newsletter editing
* Magazine editing
* Writing for audio-visual and video programs
* Speakers bureaus
* Event and conference planning/support
* Writing speeches
* Managing publications
* Marketing communication
* Member communication
* Managing community relations programs
* Feedback systems
* Technology use
You will not be expected to know the technical aspects of areas normally outside the professional responsibilities of a communication generalist (such as statistical considerations of validity in survey samples, or the color characteristics of flexographic inks).
Accreditation workshops are offered throughout the year at international and district conferences or on request at the chapter level. These workshops review the contents of this handbook and the accreditation process in detail. You are encouraged to attend one of these workshops - you'll get a better idea of what's expected - but attendance is not mandatory. The workshop is not designed to teach you the skills you need for accreditation. It is designed to answer your questions, de-mystify the process and give you the confidence to put forth the effort that's needed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application
The application form asks for information on your education and work experience.
Your application should be a comprehensive summary of your professional experience and qualifications. Your eligibility to take the accreditation examination is determined mostly by the information you provide, so be as complete and candid as possible. Evaluators will check to see that you've met the basic eligibility requirements and look for evidence of general career progress and experience in a number of areas of organizational communication.
If you do not meet the prerequisites, the Accreditation Board will not accept you as a candidate for accreditation.
Click here for the application form.
The front of the form gives the Accreditation Board biographical information such as who you are, where you work and how long you have been in the profession.
You also are asked about your post-secondary education. If you intend to substitute years of work experience in lieu of formal education, check the table on Prerequisites. There is space on the application to list continuing education courses taken in the past two years. This could include graduate courses in the communication field or attendance at professional conferences, seminars or workshops.
If you plan to take the exam at a specific location and on a certain date, please specify this. Remember, that to take the exam, your portfolio must be received by the deadline.
If you have physical disabilities that might require special arrangements on the day of the examination, please explain on the application form.
Information on your present position. In describing your supervisory activities, include not only those people who report directly to you but others - such as freelance writers, consultants, vendors, photographers and task force members - who receive direction from you. Be sure to distinguish between the two categories.
Information on prior positions should cover any jobs that required communication responsibilities. Prepare additional sheets on each prior communication position for the past 10 years and attach them to your application in reverse chronological order (most recent first). The information requested is the same as that required for your present position. You may provide any other information, including a résumé, that may have a bearing on the judges' evaluation of your application for accreditation.
Please make sure to sign the application before you mail it, and enclose half the fee.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fees
When you apply for accreditation, you must submit half the fee. The other half is payable after you qualify to take the examination by submitting an acceptable portfolio. The fee is payable in US currency or its Canadian equivalent only. Please contact Leader_Center@iabc.com for the current Canadian rate.
IABC Member Non-member
U.S. $275 ($137.50 due with application)
U.S. $400 ($200 due with application)
If it is necessary to retake part of the examination, an additional fee will be charged based on the number of sections the candidate retakes. Non-members will be required to pay an annual administration fee of U.S. $275, payable annually on the anniversary of their accreditation.
New fees went into effect January 1, 2004
Back to the top
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scheduling your examination
After your application is approved, you begin the qualification part of the process. You will be asked to prepare a portfolio of your work. You may submit your portfolio at any time, however, if you would like to take the exam at the International Conference, you will need to submit your portfolio no later than
March 1.
Deadlines for portfolio and examinations
You may submit your portfolio at any time within one year after your application is approved. If the portfolio does not receive a passing grade, you have another year in which to revise and re-submit it.
You must take the written and oral examinations within one year after your portfolio is approved. If you do not successfully complete all parts of the exam and a re-examination is required, you have another year in which to complete it.
If you do not complete the accreditation process within the deadlines described above, you must start the entire accreditation process over, re-submitting your application and paying the full fee. Deadline extensions will be considered by the Accreditation Board on a case-by-case basis.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scoring and evaluation
A zero- to seven-point scoring system is used throughout the accreditation process and applies to both the qualification and examination phases:
0 = Question unanswered or dead wrong; a totally inappropriate response
1 = POOR: Performance well below that expected of an average professional communicator; a generally inadequate response
2 = Much less that satisfactory performance
3 = Less than satisfactory performance
4 = SATISFACTORY: Performance expected of a good, competent communicator; a fully adequate response
5 = More than satisfactory performance
6 = Much more than satisfactory performance
7 = OUTSTANDING: Performance worthy of a leader in the field; an extraordinary and insightful response to the question
To be accredited, you must:
* score 4.0 or above on the portfolio, oral and written examination.
* and achieve an overall average of 4.0 for all elements of the accreditation procedure.
Back to the top
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualification: the portfolio
The portfolio you submit is a vital part of the process. It qualifies you to proceed with accreditation. It helps you and the Accreditation Board determine if you are ready to successfully complete the balance of the process.
If your portfolio does not receive a qualifying score, you will receive a detailed explanation of the reasons why you did not pass. You have one year to re-work your portfolio, incorporating suggested changes.
The portfolio requirements are designed to give all candidates an equal opportunity to do well, regardless of their individual areas of expertise or any external or job-related advantages or limitations. The portfolio measures what you have done and the reasons for your actions.
Therefore, display your professional abilities in the best possible light. Submit samples of your best work. In particular, your statements of objectives and results allow the examiners to evaluate your ability to think strategically. Your portfolio not only reflects what you have done but also gives you an opportunity to answer the question, "What, if anything, would I do differently if I could do the project all over again?"
You are required to submit two samples of your best work as an organizational communicator. There is no time frame within which work included in the portfolio must have been completed, however it is recommended that 5 years be used as a suitable guideline. Your samples should represent a broad range of communication and media functions. The samples might represent work from (but are not limited to) any of the following areas:
* communication programs
* publications (please submit three consecutive issues if it is a recurring publication)
* communication surveys or audits
* campaigns
* audio-visual programs
Indicate the nature and extent of your involvement and responsibility on each work sample.
Statements of objectives and results
You must submit detailed statements of objectives and results for the work samples in your portfolio. These are the most critical sections of your portfolio, representing two-thirds of your score. Make your statements as complete and detailed as possible. Each statement of objectives and results should follow this outline:
1. Describe your organization and the communication function
Describe your organization's business or function, history, location, size, number of employees, annual budget and any other information that will help the portfolio evaluators judge your work sample in context.
Also, describe the communication function in your organization, including overall objective, history, number of employees, annual budget and your role in the organization when the project was executed.
2. Identifying the problem or opportunity
Describe the problem or opportunity the project addressed, how you identified the need, and the target audience's size, location and other characteristics.
3. Developing the solution or plan
How did you approach the problem? Why and how was the plan developed? Describe the project's objectives and how they related to the objectives of your organization. Outline the budget and time schedule for producing the sample. Did you set these objectives and constraints, or were they imposed by other persons or outside circumstances?
4. Selling the plan to management or the client
Describe your overall approach in dealing with management and how you sold the plan to them. If the plan was brought to you or your communication organization by management, describe in detail how you worked with them to structure the project or to sell necessary changes in their plan.
5. Implementing the plan
Describe in detail how the work was carried out. What was your role on the project? What were the time and budget limitations? Did any problems arise? Did the plan, objectives, time schedule or budget change? If so, why? How were these changes incorporated into the process?
6. Evaluating the plan
How did you evaluate the effectiveness of the project and how well the messages were communicated? What did the evaluation show? Cite formal and informal evaluation and any indications that the effort was effective in meeting its objectives.
Include your own evaluation of the sample, knowing what you know now. Were your objectives appropriate? Was the budget adequate? Was the timing correct? Was the audience targeted correctly? Was the choice of media right? What would you do differently, and why?
7. Other information
Feel free to provide any additional information the Accreditation Board should know about the sample in order to evaluate it fairly.
Presenting your work samples
Your work samples are tangible evidence of your knowledge of organizational communication. They account for one-third of your portfolio score and will be judged by how well they meet professional standards.
When possible, slide presentations, film strips or other visual material should be converted to one-half inch video cassettes. Where this is not feasible, number the slides and place them in plastic sleeves. Don't forget to send the script. Do not send slide or carousel trays.
Most posters and oversize brochures or publications are admissible provided they are not too unwieldy. Take photos of large displays or other bulky items, and send clear eight- by ten-inch color or black-and-white prints showing how the project was used. Include various angles to highlight all pertinent aspects of your project. The judges will not penalize you for loss of technical quality in such cases.
Include any documentation on how the sample was used or received, such as letters, press clippings or survey results. One representative copy of each is sufficient. You may then note that it appeared in 50 newspapers, for example, or that you received 300 such letters. Include this material in the folio binder. Press clippings and other similar material should be pasted on standard-sized typing paper; where necessary, photo-reduce clippings.
Each statement of objectives and results must be typewritten following the outline, on one side of the paper, and bound into a three-ring notebook or other standard-size binder. Both the first page of the statement and the front cover of the binder should be clearly labeled with your name and the title of the work sample.
Once you have successfully completed the accreditation process, suitable samples from your portfolio may be placed in the IABC Communication Bank, used to aid other communicators going through the accreditation program or for accreditation workshops. Therefore, do not send irreplaceable materials; if necessary, send photocopies. However, if some of the samples must be returned - for example, confidential material, audio-visual shows or videotapes - mark them clearly and include return postage and a mailing label.
Tips and tactics
There is nothing mysterious about the qualification process or portfolio evaluation. The judges are simply attempting to measure what you've done and why you did it.
Your statements of objectives and results are the most important elements in the evaluation of your portfolio.
Be sure to follow the outline under "Statements of objectives and results" when you prepare your statements.
Be concise but provide adequate detail.
In your statements of objectives and results, make clear your role in the project. If you supervise or direct the work of others, be specific as to your involvement.
Submitting your portfolio
Send your portfolio to IABC's world headquarters, Attn.: Accreditation Coordinator, One Hallidie Plaza, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94102. We will confirm your status as a candidate.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Using a Gold Quill for One Portfolio Work Sample
Gold Quill winners who apply for accreditation within one year of winning their award are eligible to submit just one portfolio work sample instead of the required two. The Gold Quill winning entry will count as the other sample and does not need to be sent. Instead, please include a cover letter with your other sample, indicating the title of your Gold Quill entry and the division that it received an award in. The Gold Quill sample will be scored as an automatic pass.
After the year period has elapsed, Gold Quill winners are still welcome to submit winning entries as half of their accreditation portfolio, however the actual sample must be submitted to the portfolio evaluators and will no longer receive an automatic pass but will be judged again by Accreditation Portfolio Graders.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accreditation Candidate Portfolio Checklist
Your portfolio will include two projects with detailed Statements of Objectives and work samples; Gold Quill winners submit only one project.
Use this form to "pre-test" your portfolio before submission. The questions below are identical to those used by portfolio evaluators who will be grading each section (Identifying, Developing, etc.) of your portfolio on a 0 to 7 scale:
0 A totally inappropriate response.
1 POOR: Performance well below that expected of an average beginner
in organizational communication; a generally inadequate response to the question.
2 Much less than satisfactory performance.
3 Somewhat less than satisfactory performance.
4 SATISFACTORY: Performance expected of a good, competent communicator;
a fully adequate response to the question asked.
5 Somewhat more than satisfactory performance.
6 Much more than satisfactory performance.
7 OUTSTANDING: Performance worthy of a leader in the field: an extraordinary
and insightful response to the question.
Part I: Statement of Objectives
Identifying the problem/opportunity
* Problem/opportunity clearly stated?
* Target audience well defined?
* Research/other input demonstrates your understanding of audience and company/client?
* Objectives well defined and measurable?
Developing the solution/plan
* Does solution adequately address audience needs?
* Communications medium/media appropriate to audience?
* Budget, timeline for execution and related factors considered?
* Project clearly outlined before execution?
Selling the solution/plan to management/client
You may not have had to actually sell the project. If this is the case, explain your role in directing the project.
* Approach is thorough and professional?
* Research/feedback is pertinent and effective? (if research wasn't conducted, acknowledge its importance and give a reasonable explanation for its absence)
* Candidate successful in directing management's thoughts?
Implementing the solution/plan
* Work executed logically and professionally?
* If the original plan wasn't followed, explanation for any change (media, budget, timeline, etc.) adequate?
* Focus on objective(s) or message(s) remains clear?
* Implementation method(s) will communicate favorably?
Evaluating the solution/plan
* Candidate employed formal or informal measures?
* Reflective measures indicate how well objectives were met?
* Candidate clearly indicates the project was/was not successful?
* If necessary, suggested project revision adequate?
Overall evaluation
* Candidate clearly demonstrates consideration of the five steps outlined in the previous sections?
* Statement of objectives shows clear, logical thinking process?
* Statement of objectives is a sound blueprint upon which to build an effective project?
Part II: Work Samples
In evaluating the samples, graders look for a balance between form and content. Some samples may contain only form or content - a photo essay or news release, for example. If this occurs, they will evaluate only in those terms.
* Sample follows objectives in terms of form and content?
* Sample demonstrates quality and professionalism?
* Sample appropriate for audience?
* Sample clearly communicates desired message?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The written examination
The written examination has three sections:
* General knowledge of organizational communication, worth 40 percent of the written examination, tests your knowledge of communication concepts, tools and technology, and your ability to write or perform professional communication activities based on actual assignments completed during the examination period.
* Developing a full-range communication program, worth 40 percent of the written examination, tests your ability to think through and develop a complete communication program for a specific organizational or case problem. You may choose the situation most in line with your knowledge or professional experience.
* Philosophy of organizational communication, worth 20 percent of the written examination, tests your understanding of the ethics of organizational communication and of management principles related to communication and of the communicator's role in their application.
The written examination is basically an essay test, although the required answers may vary in length from a brief paragraph to an extensive discussion over several pages.
Some of the questions will have generally accepted "correct" answers and your responses will be graded against those standards. However, other questions will allow for more open-ended responses. On these questions, your answers will be judged on general content, comprehension, logic, organization and clarity of presentation. Many of the questions will require you to analyze or solve communication problems. Your answers will be evaluated in terms of insight, applicability, creativity and practicality in a real-world setting.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips for taking the written examination
Follow these tips when taking the written exam:
* Read the questions carefully and make sure you fully understand what's required. Don't answer
questions that aren't asked.
* Number your answers in the same manner as the questions.
* Don't try to outguess the exam; there are no trick questions.
* Answer realistically; the evaluators are looking for real-world answers.
* Work within the suggested time guidelines.
* Quickly read the exam questions before beginning to write.
* Consider starting by answering all the questions you're most comfortable with; you'll gain confidence and you'll probably remember points that will be useful on later questions. CAUTION: If you choose to answer questions in a random order, mark them clearly or cross off the questions as you answer them. Be sure you go back and answer those you've skipped. Regardless of the order you choose, all final answers must be consecutively numbered.
* Pay close attention to what is needed. If you're asked for an essay answer, provide one. If you're asked for five items, provide exactly five.
* You may want to sketch your answer out on scrap paper; it could save you time in the long run and help to organize your thoughts.
* The evaluators don't award points for what they think you might know; they give points only for what you actually put on paper, so write it all down.
* Try to answer every question. A zero hurts your chances of getting a passing score on that section of the exam.
* Don't get too wrapped up in textbook answers. Answer using your practical experience and hard-won knowledge.
* Occasional spelling errors, problem punctuation, unorthodox grammar or typing mistakes won't count against you unless they are so prevalent that your answers are confusing or lead the judges to think you don't know any better.
* Leave enough time to check your answers. Look for assumptions that you haven't adequately explained. Put yourself in the place of the evaluator when re-reading.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The oral examination
The oral exam tests your ability to make an extemporaneous presentation under the pressure of a real deadline. At some point during the four- and one-half-hour examination, you will be asked to leave the room for a 30-minute oral exam. You will be presented with a case situation described through simulated working documents such as memos, letters, voice mail and E-mail messages, faxes and news clips. You will have 15 minutes to study the documents and seven- to ten-minutes to present your diagnosis of the problem and your proposed solution.
The oral examiners will evaluate five factors: your effectiveness in identifying pertinent data from the working documents, your ability to make a persuasive and clear presentation, your skill in perceiving and reacting sensitively to the feelings of others, your ability to reach logical conclusions and your efforts to influence events. This is not a role-playing exercise, but rather a chance for you to explain how you would respond to a real-life situation in real time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips for taking the oral examination
The oral examination gives you an opportunity to study the contents of a hypothetical communicator's in-basket and then present your analysis of the sensitive communication crisis it contains. Even though time is short, you will be expected to offer suggestions for solving or otherwise dealing with the problem presented. The evaluators may also ask you questions about your analysis or your proposed solutions.
The oral exam is based on an emergency situation that a professional communicator might face on short notice, perhaps without extensive familiarity with the issues involved. In such a situation, you would have to analyze the problem, prepare an action plan and clearly present your recommendations to management in a short period of time.
* Study the given situation carefully and be sure you understand it fully.
* As with the written exam, there are no trick questions.
* Remember that your oral presentation is an explanation to evaluators, not a sales pitch to management. Do not role play.
* Relax. The format is informal and the evaluators will do their best to make sure you're comfortable and at ease.
* Speak clearly and convincingly. This will make a good impression on the evaluators.
* Don't ramble. As in real life, time is short. Present your case, make your points and stop.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
How the examination works
All materials necessary for taking the examinations are supplied. You may bring your own PC or laptop. You may not bring any resource materials such as dictionaries, textbooks or notes. Legible handwritten exams, while discouraged, are permissible.
You must surrender all computer disks and clear the memory of the machine at the end of the examination. All printing must be done following the allotted time for the exam.
Four-hours and thirty-minutes are allotted for the two examinations - four hours for the written exam and a thirty-minutes for the oral exam. Copies of your completed written examination, identified only by a pre-assigned random number, will be sent to three evaluators. (Evaluators who suspect they may know a candidate's identity will disqualify themselves.) The evaluators will judge your answers individually and forward their scores to the accreditation chair for compilations and final review.
Oral examinations are routinely audiotaped or videotaped and are usually evaluated by those who conduct the exam. However, if the on-site oral evaluators know you and would prefer not to judge your presentation, the recording of your oral exam will be judged by a separate team of evaluators.
Once you are scheduled to take the exam at a specified time and place, you must do so. Absence without prior notice and a legitimate excuse is considered an automatic failure. You may submit a written appeal to the Accreditation Council.
If you fail the accreditation exam, you will receive a detailed written evaluation of your performance to aid you in strengthening areas of weakness. If you failed a section of the written or oral exam, you may become accredited by retaking and passing that portion. If you failed all sections, of course, you'll have to retake and pass all sections.
You may retake the exam at the next available date. All re-examinations require a re-examination fee and must be completed within one year of the original exam.
You may appeal a negative decision by submitting a written request for reconsideration to IABC within 30 days of notification. The Accreditation Council, which is responsible for management of the accreditation program, will review all materials in your file and reach a final decision on your appeal, usually within 60 days. Only one appeal is permitted.
Please direct all correspondence regarding accreditation or the examinations to IABC world headquarters for referral to the appropriate accreditation officials. All details pertaining to your request for accreditation and your performance on the examinations will be kept confidential by everyone involved in the accreditation process. Your accreditation records will be kept in locked files at IABC world headquarters, and no information will be released without your prior written consent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Use of accreditation
Candidates who have successfully completed the accreditation process may use the designation "ABC" or "IABC Accredited" on letterheads and business cards. Accreditation is for individuals only; the designation may not be used in a way that it implies that a company, organization, publication or other communication effort is accredited.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revocation of accreditation
Your accreditation may be revoked for making false statements on your application or portfolio, or for failing to abide by generally recognized standards of professional conduct and performance. In all revocation proceedings, a formal hearing will be conducted by the Accreditation Council to review the charges and the communicator's rebuttal or defense. Notice of such a hearing will be provided to the communicator in writing at least 60 days before the scheduled hearing date and will include the specifics of the complaint.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retention of accreditation
Successful candidates retain their accreditation as long as they are members of IABC or continue to pay the annual maintenance fee for non-members. Retired members also retain accreditation as long as they keep their retired membership status.
If you become unemployed and are unable to maintain IABC membership or the maintenance fee, you may continue to use the designation "ABC" or "IABC Accredited" while seeking employment. However, you will not be listed as an active accredited member by IABC world headquarters and should specify to prospective employers that you were accredited.
Instead, your accreditation certificate may be used as proof of accreditation. If IABC membership or payment of the maintenance fee is renewed within two years, you will automatically be returned to the active accredited member file. Otherwise, accreditation will be reinstated only through application to the Accreditation Council.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Information
Administration of the program
Responsibility for administering the program rests with the Accreditation Council. Generally, members are appointed for three-year terms and are eligible for a one-term re-appointment.
The Accreditation Council, consisting of senior members of the Accreditation Board, is charged with managing and updating the program. The primary concern of the Council and the Board is to maintain the integrity of the program and ensure that it remains a valid indicator of professionalism in communication. The Council meets at least twice a year to review the status of the program, set operational policy and implement any changes needed to strengthen the accreditation process.
Questions?
If you have specific questions on the accreditation program or its operation, please contact IABC world headquarters. If necessary, your questions will be referred to the Accreditation Council.
IABC World Headquarters
One Hallidie Plaza, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
(800) 776-4222 from the U.S. or Canada or
(415) 544-4700 from outside the U.S. and Canada.
Fax: (415) 544-4747
Or email to srogers@iabc.com
To attend the IABC Accreditation Workshop which further explains the accreditation programme, please call 03 76609954 for a registration form or email secretariat@iabcmalaysia.com. Registration form is also available here.
ACCREDITATION WORKSHOP HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH
BEST PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
IABC MALAYSIA NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2004
Tuesday 20 July - 2.00 pm - 5.30 pm - IABC Accreditation Workshop @ Menara Kuala Lumpur
Wednesday 21 July - 8.30 am - 5.30 pm - Conference Day 1 @ Nikko Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Thursday 22 July - 8.30 am - 5.30 pm - Conference Day 2 @ Nikko Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
BEST PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
IABC MALAYSIA NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2004
Tuesday 20 July - 2.00 pm - 5.30 pm - IABC Accreditation Workshop @ Menara Kuala Lumpur
Wednesday 21 July - 8.30 am - 5.30 pm - Conference Day 1 @ Nikko Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Thursday 22 July - 8.30 am - 5.30 pm - Conference Day 2 @ Nikko Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia