Professional Certificates versus Academic Education in light of Market Needs

Conference Paper

By: Rania Al-Maghraby

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

This paper discusses the value of professional certificates available on commercial basis, as compared to academic education programs. We attempt to answer questions like: are commercial professional certificates sufficient for designation of qualified and knowledgeable individuals? Can commercial professional certificates replace academic education in some fields? Are commercial professional certificates considered an equal education opportunity for people who missed the chance for academic education? What are the negative and positive sides of both paths, and can they be complementary to each other? We will also suggest some governing factors that can limit the negative sides of the two paths, and how to maximize their value. The focus will be mainly on project management certificates and education programs.


This paper is published in the proceedings of the Fourth Edition Pan-African Project Management Conference.