EUCIP
Encyclopedia
The European Certification of Informatics Professionals (EUCIP) is a professional certification
and competency development scheme, aimed at informatics
professionals and practitioners. EUCIP, which originated with the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies, is offered in a range of Europe
an countries through national computer societies. The EUCIP certifications are maintained by ECDL Foundation.
competence. These include the EISS (European Informatics Skills Structures) and EICL (European Informatics Continuous Learning) (circa 1995-1999), EPIC (European Professional Informatics Certificate) in 2000, which aimed at providing a basic level of IT professional certification, followed by EPICS (European Professional Informatics Certificate Service) in 2001–2003, which saw the development of what was soon to become the EUCIP Core syllabus
.
This EPICS activity involved input from several European Subject Matter Experts. In addition, the EPICS project applied for financial support from the EU
, through the TEN-telecom program. As a result of this funding, a market validation project took place to prepare a business plan for a limited market in six European countries.
The name was changed to EUCIP in late 2001 and a EUCIP central organisation was created as part of CEPIS. An initial meeting of early adopters was held in Athens
in January 2002 and the work of creating the EUCIP product (based on the initial activities from the EPICS) began. During 2002, a test base was developed and extensive piloting activities took place in Italy
, Finland
, Norway
, UK
, Estonia
and Germany
. Later in the year, the working groups which had been involved in designing the product were transformed into a more structured form and EUCIP moved into office space in the BCS (British Computer Society
) headquarters in Swindon
. The first official tests took place in Italy in July 2003, soon followed by Norway. During 2004 CEPIS decided to hand over operation and maintenance support for EUCIP to ECDL Foundation. The involvement of ECDL Foundation has led to further revision to the EUCIP programmes.
of certified practitioners.
A) Plan Area: The Use and Management of Information Systems
This area refers to requirements analysis and planning in the use of ICT within an organisation. It is therefore directly concerned with management processes and defining requirements within a strategic perspective.
B) Build Area: Development and Integration of Information Systems
This area includes processes for specification, development and testing, and maintenance of Information Systems. It deals with methodological and technological issues related to development processes.
C) Operate Area: Operation and Support of Information Systems
This area concerns installation, supervision and maintenance of ICT systems. Essential topics include: hardware
and software concepts, management of networks, service delivery and support, and security.
In addition, ECDL Foundation has developed a EUCIP IT Administrator - Fundamentals module that provides a broad understanding of hardware, operating systems, networks and IT Security.
Professional certification
Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task...
and competency development scheme, aimed at informatics
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
professionals and practitioners. EUCIP, which originated with the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies, is offered in a range of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries through national computer societies. The EUCIP certifications are maintained by ECDL Foundation.
History of EUCIP
The evolution of EUCIP stems from a series of earlier projects in the area of ITInformation technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
competence. These include the EISS (European Informatics Skills Structures) and EICL (European Informatics Continuous Learning) (circa 1995-1999), EPIC (European Professional Informatics Certificate) in 2000, which aimed at providing a basic level of IT professional certification, followed by EPICS (European Professional Informatics Certificate Service) in 2001–2003, which saw the development of what was soon to become the EUCIP Core syllabus
Syllabus
A syllabus , is an outline and summary of topics to be covered in an education or training course. It is descriptive...
.
This EPICS activity involved input from several European Subject Matter Experts. In addition, the EPICS project applied for financial support from the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, through the TEN-telecom program. As a result of this funding, a market validation project took place to prepare a business plan for a limited market in six European countries.
The name was changed to EUCIP in late 2001 and a EUCIP central organisation was created as part of CEPIS. An initial meeting of early adopters was held in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in January 2002 and the work of creating the EUCIP product (based on the initial activities from the EPICS) began. During 2002, a test base was developed and extensive piloting activities took place in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Later in the year, the working groups which had been involved in designing the product were transformed into a more structured form and EUCIP moved into office space in the BCS (British Computer Society
British Computer Society
The British Computer Society, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in Information Technology in the United Kingdom and internationally...
) headquarters in Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
. The first official tests took place in Italy in July 2003, soon followed by Norway. During 2004 CEPIS decided to hand over operation and maintenance support for EUCIP to ECDL Foundation. The involvement of ECDL Foundation has led to further revision to the EUCIP programmes.
Candidates
The EUCIP certification is available in 8 European countries with testing being administered in competence centres in each these countries for a fee. ECDL Foundation markets the EUCIP programme to practitioners working in industry, government and public organisations. EUCIP aims to create a pan-European skills standard for ICT Professionals, helps to close the IT skills gap, enhance worker mobility, and increases the labour market valueMarket value
Market value is the price at which an asset would trade in a competitive auction setting. Market value is often used interchangeably with open market value, fair value or fair market value, although these terms have distinct definitions in different standards, and may differ in some...
of certified practitioners.
EUCIP Core
According to ECDL Foundation, the EUCIP Core provides students with a solid foundation for all types of ICT related work. To achieve a EUCIP certification, the candidate must successfully pass a test in all three knowledge areas. These are:A) Plan Area: The Use and Management of Information Systems
This area refers to requirements analysis and planning in the use of ICT within an organisation. It is therefore directly concerned with management processes and defining requirements within a strategic perspective.
B) Build Area: Development and Integration of Information Systems
This area includes processes for specification, development and testing, and maintenance of Information Systems. It deals with methodological and technological issues related to development processes.
C) Operate Area: Operation and Support of Information Systems
This area concerns installation, supervision and maintenance of ICT systems. Essential topics include: hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
and software concepts, management of networks, service delivery and support, and security.
EUCIP Professional
EUCIP Professional demands advanced competence in a particular role. The professional level is based on a specialised competence that a candidate may earn by working through a variety of educational modules and by gaining practical experience. There are 21 professional profiles to choose from:- IS Analyst
- Business Analyst
- Software Developer
- Network Manager
- Enterprise Solutions Consultant
- X-Systems Engineer
- Database Manager
- Data Centre & Configuration Manager
- IS Project Manager
- IS Manager
- IS Auditor
- Logistics & Automation Consultant
- Sales & Application Consultant
- Client Manager
- IT Systems Architect
- Help Desk Supervisor
- Web & Multimedia Master
- Systems Integration & Testing Engineer
- Telecommunications Architect
- Security Advisor
- IT Trainer
EUCIP IT Administrator
IT Administrator is a standalone certification programme that certifies practical and theoretical knowledge of computer technicians. The certification covers a wide range of Hardware, Software and Networks knowledge areas. Syllabus 3.0 consists of the following modules:- PC Hardware
- Operating Systems
- Networks
- IT Security
In addition, ECDL Foundation has developed a EUCIP IT Administrator - Fundamentals module that provides a broad understanding of hardware, operating systems, networks and IT Security.