Certificate in Board Directorship

Achieving the award of The World of Directorship - Certificate in Board Directorship means that a director has demonstrated an internationally accepted level of understanding of corporate governance, the role of the board and the director, strategy, risk, ethics, accounting, finance, control and corporate reporting.

A director that has attained the award of The World of Directorship - Certificate in Board Directorship, is equipped to make a valuable contribution to any board based upon increased knowledge and confidence.

Professionalism 
Certification offers a clear course structure and development path, leading ultimately to Chartered Directorship.

Validation 
Certification validates that an individual has the core knowledge and awareness that is necessary to function effectively as a director. The regulators are increasingly requiring board directors to demonstrate they have undertaken professional development.

Competence
Through attaining the designation, you signal to the marketplace that you are ready to serve as a director. Companies appointing directors onto subsidiary or joint venture boards are increasingly recognising the value that board directors can provide to their organisations and want to ensure their appointees have the right knowledge and skills.

Commitment
Certification enables directors to demonstrate their commitment to professional development and to benchmark their own knowledge and skills against clearly established standards of good governance practice.

Assurance 
Being a Certified Director provides you with the confidence as an aspiring or a less experienced director, as well as providing the market place with assurance of your ability and competence.

Recognition 
The professional designation raises your profile as an aspirant or less experienced director and sets you apart amongst your peers. We will publish the list of Certified Directors on our website. You are entitled to use the designation Cert.Dir. (GCCBDI) after your name. 

Relevance
Certification provides GCC-relevant content and details of local regulations and incorporates regional aspects in course content as well as using global case studies.

We are delighted to announce that GCC BDI is embarking on a new edition of the Certificate in Board Directorship Programme following a cyclical review of the programme. As with Edition 1, Edition 2 is designed to provide comprehensive knowledge and expertise for board directors and aspiring board directors in the corporate world. 

The new edition of the Certificate in Board Directorship Programme consists of four distinct modules, each addressing essential aspects of corporate governance, leadership, and board responsibilities. These modules are carefully curated to equip participants with the knowledge required to excel in your role as a director. Upon the successful completion of all four modules, there will be a final examination to evaluate the participants' understanding and knowledge of the programme’s content.

We are excited to inform you that this new edition is scheduled to commence in January 2024.

The GCC BDI Certificate in Board Directorship Programme is an excellent opportunity for professionals looking to enhance their careers and make a meaningful impact in the corporate world. We believe it will be a transformative experience for all participants.

List of Frequently Asked Questions 

Q1. Why did GCC BDI decide to have Edition 2 of Certificate in Board Directorship?

Every programme needs a refresh and an update and this is part of the normal cycle of updates for this programme. In this case, the review has resulted in some significant structural changes to the programme. So it is not possible for participants to move from Edition 1 to Edition 2 without starting all over again.

Q2. Where can a participant obtain information about which Edition 1 modules they have already completed and how many they have left to complete?

Please ask Teresa at teresa.murphy@gccbdi.org

Q3. Participants have to complete all four modules of Edition 1 of the Certificate in Board Directorship by end of June 2024. By when do they have to complete taking the Final examination?

Once participants have completed the 4 modules of Edition 1, they can sit the online automated exam as soon as they are ready and within 3 months of the last module.

Q4. Can a participant who is currently pursuing Edition 1 of Certificate in Board Directorship and has completed only 1 module, transfer to Edition 2 of Certificate in Board Directorship?

You cannot transfer. Due to the structural revisions that have taken place for Edition 2, you would need to start the programme all over again. But GCC BDI would be happy to offer you 1 free seat to resit the module you have already taken.

Q5. If a participant wishes to stop Edition 1 of Certificate in Board Directorship and wants a refund for the remaining modules, is this possible?

Yes, this is possible.

Q6. Will GCC BDI plan Edition 2 Certificate in Board Directorship REFRESHER sessions for participants who have completed Edition 1 Certificate in Board Directorship?

GCC BDI is planning as part of this update, to offer Edition 1 participants an update session if they are interested. The update session would include any new elements or updates which have been included in Edition 2.

Q7. Can a participant complete Edition 1 of Certification in Board Directorship and then sit both edition exams and still qualify for Edition 2 Certificate if they pass?

No, this is not possible – the exams are different for Edition 1 and Edition 2 due to the restructuring of the programme and the updates. All Director Certification exams are equal – once you have been Certified, you are a Certified Director no matter which exam or Edition you have sat. 

Q8. How different is Edition 2 Certificate in Board Directorship from Edition 1 Certificate in Board Directorship?

There are some updates, but the main changes are structural in the way the programme is organised. We have done this taking into account feedback from previous participants.

Q9. Is the pricing for Edition 2 Certificate in Board Directorship different from Edition 1 Certificate in Board Directorship?

Yes, in Edition 2 we have bundled the costs of the Refresher and the Exam, instead of paying separately to make it easier for participants. In line with our normal pricing policy, there is also a 4% increase in fees for the first time in 4 years of the programme.

Q10. Will the manuals of Edition 2 Certificate in Board Directors be available to participants who have completed Edition 1?

Yes, this is something that GCC BDI is considering.

Q11. Will the manuals of Edition 2 Certificate in Board Directors be available to participants who are pursuing Diploma or Chartered Directorship?

Edition 2 changes will not impact participants on the Diploma or Chartered Director Programmes

If you have any immediate questions or would like to express your interest in participating, please feel free to reach out to our team at getinvolved@gccbdi.org.

The Certificate consists of 4 modules:

Module 1: Corporate Governance Essentials

Module 2: The Effective Director

Module 3: The Effective Board

Module 4: Board Finance, Accounting and Corporate Reporting

Course Delivery 

Course delivery will be a mix of:

1. Virtual live online workshops; and
2. Face-to-face traditional in-person workshops

Each module consists of 2 days of live workshops and discussion. The 4 modules are run on a cyclical basis with one module every 2 to 3 months. In this way, participants  are  able to complete the full programme within 12 months. 

If you miss a module, you can wait for it to come round again in the cycle. You can start the cycle at any time. There is also a compulsory e-learning orientation module that all new joiners must complete before starting the programme.

All our workshops are run using our online learning platform LEARN GCC BDI and the virtual live online workshops are run using Zoom.

Our face-to-face traditional classroom workshops are run in Riyadh.

Schedule of workshops

The World of Directorship – Certificate in Board Directorship requires all participants to:

• Currently hold or recently (within the preceding three years) have held either a director seat or a senior management position within an organisation 
•  This programme will be delivered in English, so all participants should have basic English literacy 

Eligibility for enrollment in this programme is at the discretion of the GCC BDI Education Committee. 

Who can apply?

The Certificate in Board Directorship is a programme designed to meet the development needs of existing, new and aspiring members of boards of directors and board committees.

The programme is also designed to meet the development needs of advisers and senior managers who report to the board or board committees who are interested in expanding their knowledge of corporate governance. In addition, professional executives with an interest in corporate governance may find the course to be relevant and useful e.g. media, judiciary, legal, accounting, finance and banking.

The programme is relevant for:

• Chairmen
• Executive directors
• Non-executive directors
• Independent directors
• Board secretaries
• Board committee members

And participants from:

• Private sector organisations
• Public sector organisations
• Multinational companies (MNCs)
• Listed companies
• State owned enterprises
• Unlisted and family companies

Workshop Fees

Discount

Participants wishing to pre-purchase all four workshops are entitled to a 25% discount.

All prices exclude VAT or any other applicable taxes. Pre-payment is required for all participants.

All participants in GCC BDI workshops are eligible for free membership as an Associate of GCC BDI. Membership benefits include: entitlement to the designation as a member of a professional institute of board directors, copies of our publications, continuing professional development (CPD) points for attending presentations and workshops, and invitations to certain of our GCC BDI events. For more information on GCC BDI membership, please see our website.