The ICB (IPMA Competence Baseline) provides the official definition of the competences expected from project management professionals for certification using the universal IPMA four-level-certification system. National cultural differences are addressed in National Competence Baselines (NCB) by adding specific competence elements and content to the ICB. Validation of the NCBs by IPMA ensures their conformity to the ICB and the global recognition of certificates awarded by the national certification systems.
Although ICB is indispensable for project management professionals and Certification Bodies, it is not sufficient for training. It should be supported with appropriate materials who will assist in the understanding of the context of each competence area at the level of detail necessary to practice or speak about or teach project management, develop courses and further training materials and assist certification candidates.
This need is addressed by the Recommended Literature project. As such, the E&T Board with the contribution of the Member Associations maintains lists of educational resources of use to professional project managers and certification candidates in different countries and cultural settings. Such lists can be found below:
Austria: Literature in German and English from pma Austria
Azerbaijan: Literature in Russian and Azeri from AzPMA
Finland: Literature in English from PMA Finland
Germany: Literature in German and English from GPM
Russia: Literature in Russian and English from SOVNET
Sweden: Literature in Swedish and English from the Swedish Project Management Association
UK: Literature in English from APM
USA: Book reviews from asapm
Additional IPMA Member Associations are encouraged to submit their suggestions and literature lists both in English and their local language. Also, perspective authors, editors and publishers of project management books as well as developers of training materials may want to contact Dr. John-Paris Pantouvakis of the E&T Board (see the Contact E&T page) for possible inclusion of their existing or planned training resources in the recommended literature list.