How the scheme works?

• Identify a coordinator to oversee training and development.
• Establish a clear policy for learning and development.
• Provide an ethics policy/code of conduct and training in this area. 
• Encourage CIMA members and students to maintain accurate employer and personal records with CIMA .

• Conduct individual performance reviews at least once a year.

• Give guidance on the resources available to CIMA members and students to develop themselves.
• Commit some financial resource to underpin training and personal development plans.
• Give students time off to sit CIMA exams.
• Provide a structured and supportive environment in which CIMA students can take responsibility for their own training and practical experience.

• Offer CIMA members and students the opportunity to discuss their progress and any new development requirements. This might include current and potential job roles, exams and practical experience requirements.

• Conduct an annual review of the scheme as a whole. This might include issues arising from the evaluation of all learning and development activities, training and personal development plans. 
• Overall plans to be adjusted to reflect the outcome of the review.

Foundation standards:

• Identify a coordinator to oversee training and development.
• Establish a clear policy for learning and development.
• Provide an ethics policy/code of conduct and training in this area.
• Encourage CIMA members and students to maintain accurate employer and personal records with CIMA .

Quality standards

• Demonstrate a commitment to supporting students through to CIMA membership.
• Provide a written policy for students studying CIMA that covers financial support, study leave, exam leave and tuition, ideally with a CIMA approved provider.
• Identify roles and responsibilities for CIMA training, allocate staff and discuss expected outcomes with all stakeholders.
• Provide students with suitable opportunities to obtain experience in line with CIMA’s practical experience requirements (PER).
• Offer all students a comprehensive induction, which might include training policies and plans, an introduction to key staff, the business, its markets and competitors, and performance reviews and rewards.

Foundation standards

• Conduct individual performance reviews at least once a year.

Quality standards

• Give each student an individual CIMA training plan which reflects their personal development needs, including how CIMA’s practical experience requirements will be met.
• Discuss and note skills gaps and learning opportunities as part of the performance review process. Agree a personal development plan.
• Set specific, measurable and time-bound (SMART) learning and development objectives in the personal development plan.
• Discuss career development aspirations and opportunities at review meetings and provide access to appropriate guidance and training.

Foundation standards:

• Give guidance on the resources available to CIMA members and students to develop themselves.
• Commit some financial resource to underpin training and personal development plans.
• Give students time off to sit CIMA exams.
• Provide a structured and supportive environment in which CIMA students can take responsibility for their own training and practical experience.

Quality standards

• Communicate the learning and development policy, procedures, availability of resources and expectations to all stakeholders.
• Offer structured study support in line with local availability and student preference eg face to face tuition, distance/blended learning, e-learning, online learning, revision courses etc.
• Make a significant contribution to essential costs i.e. exam entry, exemption and tuition fees. Consider additional financial support e.g. registration, subscription and membership application fees.
• Grant paid study leave. As a minimum CIMA would expect 1.5 days per paper per year (excluding the day of the exam).
• Give students paid time off to sit the exams.
• Develop a support network for CIMA students e.g. study groups and mentoring.
• Provide resources to help students develop their interpersonal, leadership and professional skills.

Foundation standards

• Offer CIMA members and students the opportunity to discuss their progress and any new development requirements. This might include current and potential job roles, exams and practical experience requirements.

Quality standards

• Review each student’s CIMA training plan at least twice a year against personal development plans and agreed development objectives.
• Use review meetings to discuss exam progression, the effectiveness of the study method and progress towards meeting the practical experience requirements.
• Adjust individual training plans as necessary in line with student development needs and the organisation’s goals.
• Invite students to feedback on an annual basis on the effectiveness of their studies, satisfaction with their tuition provider/study method and support from line managers.

Foundation standards

• Conduct an annual review of the scheme as a whole. This might include issues arising from the evaluation of all learning and development activities, training and personal development plans. Overall plans to be adjusted to reflect the outcome of the review.

Quality standards

• Use the annual review process to monitor pass rates and progression to membership. Set targets and implement action plans as necessary.
• Discuss feedback from students at management level. Address any issues raised. Adjust development and study plans to meet organisational needs.

Foundation standards

• Identify a coordinator to oversee training and development.
• Establish a clear policy for learning and development.
• Provide an ethics policy/code of conduct and training in this area. 
• Encourage CIMA members and students to maintain accurate employer and personal records with CIMA .

Quality standards

• Supply information on the processes, procedures and support available to help CIMA members meet their professional development requirements. This includes guidance on suitable learning and development activities – formal and informal.
• Offer guidance to members on appropriate use of resources at work (e.g. internet usage, coaching, training courses etc).

Foundation standards

• Conduct individual performance reviews at least once a year.

Quality standards

• Discuss and note skills gaps and learning opportunities as part of the performance review process and agree a personal development plan.
• Set specific, measurable and time-bound (SMART) learning and development objectives in the personal development plan.
• Ensure the planning and review of learning and development is continuous throughout the member’s career. Link individual development to what the organisation needs, now and in the future.
• Discuss career development aspirations and opportunities at review meetings and provide access to appropriate guidance and training. Link to succession planning.

Foundation standards

• Give guidance on the resources available to CIMA members and students to develop themselves.
• Commit some financial resource to underpin training and personal development plans.

Quality standards

• Encourage members to review their personal development plans regularly to ensure they are still relevant.
• Make members aware that they need to gather evidence to support learning and development activities and progress, and keep it in a portfolio for at least three years.

Foundation standards

• Offer CIMA members and students the opportunity to discuss their progress and any new development requirements. This might include current and potential job roles, exams and practical experience requirements.

Quality standards

• Review each member’s personal development plan at least once a year ensuring that the outcomes of all learning and development activities – formal and informal – have been recorded. Use this insight to plan future development activities.
• Monitor longer-term career progression and personal development needs as part of this review process. Take action as appropriate.

Foundation standards

• Conduct an annual review of the scheme as a whole. This might include issues arising from the evaluation of all learning and development activities, training and personal development plans. Overall plans to be adjusted to reflect the outcome of the review.

Quality standards

• Provide members and their line managers with the opportunity to record a comment on the year’s learning and development as a whole.
• Take any gaps in the personal development plan forward to the following year.