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CPD Guidelines

Eligible Continuing Professional Development Activities for NIBA Members

CPD activities are classified into the following four categories:

Structured CPD

  1. Nationally accredited industry education courses (Run by RTO's - Registered Training Organisations), NIBA Quality Assessed and Accredited programs (listed on the NIBA College CPD Register), NIBA College Seminars, NIBA College eLearning and seminars run by RTO's that are relevant to the broking Industry. 
  2. Professional participation activities
  3. Industry leadership activities

Unstructured CPD

  1. Self development activities

As a NIBA member you can meet all of your CPD requirements by undertaking activities in the three structured CPD categories or a mix of structured and unstructured activities that fit within the Professional Dimensions  for Brokers. Members must complete 24 hours of CPD per year, to include no more than 8 hours of unstructured training. Members who are forced to leave the industry for health reasons for a substantial portion of the year may apply for consideration by emailing niba@niba.com.au.

Only those programs that are accredited by NIBA College will be eligible to meet CPD requirements. Accredited programs in category 1 and 2 above are listed on the NIBA College CPD Register. Programs in Category 3 and 4 are accredited by the College on a case-by-case basis and are not listed on the Register.

Individual members must obtain proof of attendance at, or completion of, a program from the organiser irrespective of whether it is listed on the CPD Register. This can be in the form of a certificate or an entry on a training record database such as NEO. 

An outline of the types of activities that fit under each category and the general rules that apply to proof of participation is provided below. Details of the number of points for specific activities change from time to time and are listed on the NIBA College website. 

Category 1. Nationally accredited industry education courses and NIBA Quality Assessed programs.

Nationally accredited industry education refers to a course with an assessable outcome. This may include:

  • An Australian vocational qualification like a Certificate II or III, Diploma or Advanced Diploma including NIBA College PA or SPA programs; and
  • Higher level study by course work or supervised research at an approved tertiary institution leading to a qualification: degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma or master’s degree. 

This category now includes Quality Assessed programs that deliver measurable learning outcomes, meet basic CPD training requirements and additional quality training criteria. These programs are listed on the NIBA College CPD Register. All programs which meet the NIBA quality assessment can earn extra CPD points per contact hour for participants.

Category 2. Professional participation activities

This category includes short courses and eLearning or distance programs that met the basic CPD accreditation criteria but do not necessarily have measurable learning outcomes. This category includes the following types of programs:

  • Distance education workbooks or online programs with a formal assessment;
  • Adult education courses relevant to, or extending existing areas of broking practice;
  • Lectures, seminars, workshops, industry discussion groups and forums for the exchange of technical information relevant to brokers;
  • Exhibitions and conferences relevant to the area of practice;
  • In-house training; and
  • Business luncheons or breakfasts with a keynote address and question time.

All eligible programs in the category are listed on the NIBA College CPD Register with the number of CPD points applying. Members need to be able to verify their participation to earn the CPD points allocated to a program.

Category 3. Industry leadership activities

This category covers activities that are aimed at educating the wider industry through preparation of articles, presentations, teaching, technical committee work and student or workplace mentoring. These activities are not listed on the NIBA College CPD Register and the number of points allocated is made on a case-by-case basis taking into account the general rules outlined below.

Research and presentation activities (maximum 3 Points per CPD Year) include:

  • Production of an original research/project paper in the insurance, broking or risk field that is presented at a conference, seminar, training course or published by a professional journal or in conference proceedings;
  • Production of a general issue or ideas paper related to the development of broking, risk or insurance practice improvements for a recognised industry publication or forum; and
  • Participation as a speaker, facilitator or session leader at a seminar, training program or recognised industry gathering or conference.

Teaching and mentoring (maximum 3 Points per CPD Year) include:

  • Tertiary level teaching that involve preparation of course outlines, content, delivery and evaluation of student/teaching performance;
  • Participation in tutorials, student mentor programs; and
  • Structured workplace mentoring that involves meeting with a colleague or mentor for the purpose of working on an aspect of their broking/insurance proficiency. Members seeking to attain CPD recognition for mentoring(as mentor or mentee) must complete the NIBA College Mentoring Overview and complete the mentoring plan provided. These resources will be available on the College website from September 2007.

The CPD points that can be claimed for research and writing of articles excludes the time spent on layout, artwork and design activities. Repeats or other articles which are substantially similar do not count towards CPD points.

Speeches and presentations count as CPD when the member is presenting information for which they have undertaken significant research. Research time only qualifies once. As a general, rule three hours of preparation time can be claimed for each hour of presentation. Members must provide a copy of the article, presentation or outline of the teaching activity as verification.

Committee participation (maximum 3 Points per CPD Year)

Members can claim a set number of hours (3 CPD Points per CPD year) for:

  • Representation as a broking/insurance practitioner on a NIBA or industry technical committee, panel, or taskforce. These activities exclude time spent in routine administrative or production matters of the committee; and
  • NIBA development work that involves the creation of new policies or the revision of existing policies, or preparation of a policy submission.

Category 4. Self development activities

This category covers a wide range of individual research activities. (Maximum of 8 Points per CPD Year)

Research or personal programs that are carried out over an extended period of time are eligible for additional CPD Points. These will be accredited on a case-by-case basis taking into account the general rules outlined below. Please contact the CPD administrator for more information. These activities are not listed on the NIBA College CPD Register.   This category includes the following types of programs:

  • Structured individual research relating to the theory/practice of broking or insurance that is conducted with or without mentor assistance. It can include a project that extends the knowledge/skill base of the individual and/or the profession;
  • Structured study tour that focuses on, or extends existing areas of, broking/insurance practice. It can be individually or group organised;
  • A structured internship with another organisation or in another office of the existing organisation in Australia or overseas;
  • An action research project conducted individually or with a group. This can involve working with colleagues in the workplace to develop new skills, solve a particular problem or research a new product, process or service.
  • Reading relevant professional journals and industry publications. There is no to have this activity accredited. Rather, points can be claimed for professional reading in the following manner:
    • Reading the substantive content of one year’s issue of a relevant professional journal such as the IRP is given ½ point per hour engaged; and
    • Subscribing to and reading a nominated journal or reference list of material is given 1 point per hour engaged provided it is accompanied by a record of the date and duration of reading undertaken.

Activities that are not eligible NIBA CPD

Programs that are not eligible for NIBA CPD accreditation are activities that do not focus on developing an individual’s professional skills, knowledge or attributes even if they are related to work. These include:

  • Business planning, strategy or marketing meetings;
  • Promotional or marketing events such as product launches;
  • In-house business updates or internal networking events. Please note that those sections of a broker meeting which are structured training sessions, dealing with an appropriate broking topic can be awarded a NIBA College CPD rating. The organiser of the meeting will need to apply for the program to be listed on the NIBA College CPD register under category 2. The rating will exclude general discussion sessions;
  • Training provided by RTOs that is not sufficiently relevant to insurance or broking or to the participant’s specific job role.; and
  • Motivational presentations.