• Q. What is new for the CAE® program in 2024?

    A. In 2024, CSAE introduced a refreshed, redesigned and re-organized learning pathway for the CAE designation.  

    The redesigned program is organized around the five competencies for association executives. It comes in response to feedback from hundreds of CAE students about what they valued about the existing program and how it could be improved.  

    The redesigned program’s five courses – each on one of the five competencies – can be taken in any order, followed by a capstone project to achieve the CAE designation. Students achieve a micro-credential with each course they complete.  

    For more information, please visit our program information page.

    Q. What does this change mean for me and my designation?

    A. The CAE designation remains the same; only the pathway to achieving it has changed. In addition, the five new courses can be taken individually as micro-credentials. Each one qualifies for 12 CPD hours.  

    Q. What qualifies as CPD hours?

    A. CPD credits can be earned through free or fee-based learning offered by CSAE or qualified partners, volunteering, sharing your knowledge and other qualifying activities. In addition, each of the five courses in the CAE restructured learning program can be taken as a micro-credential that counts as 12 CPD hours.

    Q. What do I need to do once I complete my 24 hours of CPD?

    A. CAEs must self-report completion of their required CPD hours on or before Jan. 1, 2026. CPD requirement begins at the start of the next calendar year after they earn the CAE.

    Q. How do I self-report my training?

    A. Self-reporting will be logged via the CSAE member database. All CAEs will receive reminders and additional information to assist you in understanding what activities qualify and how to report them.

    You’ll want to record your progress now, so you don’t forget.

    Check out this helpful tutorial on how to log your hours or follow the instructions below:

    1. Visit the CSAE website  
    2. Click Resources and Services in the main menu
    3. Click Certification Wallet
    4. Login with your CSAE credentials on the Credivera portal 
    5. Click Credentials in the left menu 
    6. Click on the AddCredential option  
    7. On the Add a Credential window, select CSAE as the credential issuer and fill out the rest of the details.
    8. Click Add. (2024 – 2026 Certified Professional Development)
    9. Go back to the Credentials page to add more credentials. 
    10. Acknowledge that you’ve met the three criteria:
    • Complete a minimum of 24 qualifying hours of continuing professional development.
    • Be a CSAE member in good standing.
    • Review and acknowledge the CSAE Code of Conduct.

     Use one of these templates to record your CPD activities. Excel Format or Word Format (all CAEs are encouraged to keep documentation of their activities for submission if selected for audit).

    Notes:

    You don’t have to upload the record of your CPD activities when you confirm completion of your CPD’s

    CAEs must self-report completion of their required CPD hours on or before Jan. 1, 2026. Students who received their CAE® in 2024 will be required to submit CPD hours by January 2025. 

    Q. When and why did CSAE introduce a continuous professional development (CPD) a requirement for maintaining the CAE® designation?

    A.

    In January 2022, the CAE® designation was updated to include a continued professional development component. To maintain their certification, all Certified Association Executives (CAEs) are required to demonstrate that they have completed relevant professional development.  

    After an extensive review of comparable designations (CHRP, PMP and others), CSAE’s CAE® Task Force determined that the CPD component should be included in the CAE® program as an important ongoing quality assurance component.  

    Ongoing professional development ensures your knowledge and skills are up to date. CAEs are required to complete 24 hours of CPD every two years. The two-year cycle began on Jan. 1, 2022, with the initial reporting taking place in 2024. 

    The goal is to ensure that the designation reflects the highest standards by requiring all CAEs® to maintain currency in relevant skills and knowledge.

    How can I find out more about this new requirement?

    Please view the recording of an information session below:

    https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/MNg_ukBMQTSm-tvmJt4a4edau-8naIr7jJFtH7SRxTAEyqz2YwmjHJIqDWSlY82F._frNnK1eW9KsrkOH

    Access Passcode: 0Mn0Yu+3

    CAE_CPD PP Slides

    You can also contact Eve Mechici, CAE’s program manager, at eve@csae.com.

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