Project Management Institute: Who We Are and What We Do

Not-for-Profit Professional Association

At PMI, our primary goal is to advance the practice, science and profession of project management throughout the world in a conscientious and proactive manner so that organizations everywhere will embrace, value and utilize project management and then attribute their successes to it.

• Founded in 1969 by working project managers
• More than 500,000 members and credential holders

Membership

PMI Membership supports and encourages all project professionals to pursue a new balance of global and local best practices, relationship building and sharing resources. 

Global Standards

Global standards are crucial to the project management profession. Standards ensure a basic project management framework is applied consistently worldwide.

• 13 global standards (including Program and Portfolio Management)
• Over 3 million copies of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge  (PMBOK^®Guide) in circulation

Credentials

PMI's credentials and professional development opportunities can help business professionals start, build or advance their careers in project, program and portfolio management.

Certified Associates in Project Management (CAPM)^®

• Understand the processes and terminology and have a fundamental knowledge of the PMBOK^® Guide
• Demonstrate knowledge of project management practices
• Contribute to project team as a Subject Matter Expert

Project Management Professionals (PMP)^®

• Are responsible for all aspects of the project for the life of the project
• Lead and direct cross-functional teams to deliver projects
• Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and experience to apply a methodology to projects

Program Management Professionals (PgMP)^®

• Are responsible for achieving an organizational objective by overseeing a program that consists of multiple projects.
• Define and initiate projects and assign project managers to manage cost, schedule and performance.
• Maintain alignment of program scope with strategic business objectives.

PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)^®

A project risk management professional provides expertise in the specialized area of assessing and identifying project risks, along with plans to mitigate threats and capitalize on opportunities.

• Responsible for identifying project risks and preparing mitigation plans.
• Supports project management and the team as a contributing member.
• Minimum of three years of project risk management experience.

PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)^®

A project scheduling professional provides expertise in the specialized area of developing and maintaining the project schedule.

• Responsible for creating and maintaining the project schedule.
• Supports project management and the team as a contributing member.
• Minimum of three years of project scheduling experience.

Network of Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s)

The PMI Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.) network consists of training organizations, executive development centers at universities and in companies that provide quality project management training services. Their educational offerings have been assessed by PMI. During this assessment, R.E.P. organizations have demonstrated their capability to provide effective project management training. Only courses offered by R.E.P.s are pre-approved by PMI as meeting the requirements for either attaining or maintaining PMI’s professional credentials. There are more than 1,300 organizations that belong to the Registered Education Provider Program (R.E.P.) in over 70 countries. These organizations include commercial training providers that design complete educational systems, academic institutions, internal training offices at corporation and government agencies and non-profit PMI practitioner groups..

Research Program

PMI is the only project management association with a dedicated research arm, responsible for initiating academic research taking place at institutions around the world, and guiding and coordinating PMI-funded research. Since 1997, PMI has invested US $14 million in project management research and has been directly involved in the release of more than 350 publications. PMI’s Project Management Journal, published in partnership with John Wiley and Sons, is a leading academic journal devoted to advancing the discipline of project management. The Research Department also organizes the PMI Biennial Research and Education Conference that brings together academics and senior practitioners committed to the advancement of empirically-based knowledge in the field.

Academic Program Accreditation

Established by the PMI Board of Directors in 2001, the Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) is a specialized accrediting body that assures the quality of project management degree programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels. As the world’s leading global accrediting body for project management degree programs, the GAC's mission is to advance excellence in project management education, worldwide, and to ensure that GAC accredited programs meet current and anticipated talent needs for qualified project professionals. There are over 65 degree programs at more than 25 academic institutions currently accredited by the GAC. Several other programs are at various stages of the accreditation process.