Promoting IT Professionalism in Europe:
CEPIS Vision and Action Plan
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Promoting IT Professionalism in Europe: Vision and Action Plan
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Introduction
The Council of European Professional Informatics Societies (CEPIS), through its Taskforce on
Professionalism, has proposed a common definition of Professionalism as it relates to IT. This
document sets out the CEPIS vision regarding Professionalism and details the steps that will be
taken in the short to medium term to promote Professionalism and its benefits to individuals,
organisations, and policymakers.
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The CEPIS Vision for IT Professionalism
At the core of the CEPIS vision is the definition of IT professionalism. A Professional is someone
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who demonstrates the six characteristics of Professionalism : Knowledge, Quality, Ethics,
Accountability, Experience, and Earns Living.
Figure 1 - Common Characteristics of Professionalism
It is the goal of CEPIS to foster a pan-European understanding of this concept of IT
Professionalism, and from this to develop and promote pan-European Professionalism in IT,
where achievement of quality is a core factor, and where benefit is derived for the practitioner, the
organisation, and society. This will be implemented by means of engagement with national
informatics associations through which an IT practitioner can embark upon a process of
professionalisation that will activate a value chain throughout society.
In order to attain this top-level vision, a series of closely linked goals needs to be elaborated that
can inform specific CEPIS Professionalism actions over the coming five years.
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This definition is further elaborated in the “CEPIS Professionalism Taskforce: Characteristics and Benefits of
Professionalism in IT” document.
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Validate and promote a pan-European understanding of IT Professionalism:
The definition of professionalism proposed here should be articulated and validated both within
member societies and to relevant stakeholders, including national and European policy makers,
industry, and education. The definition that will be the outcome of this consultation and validation
should position IT Professionalism as a set of common characteristics held by an individual or
group of individuals that point to how these individuals should be expected to behave and
perform.
Articulate and convey the benefits of IT Professionalism to stakeholder groups:
The establishment of an agreed definition is an essential precursor for the central goal:
communication of the benefits of Professionalism. Its importance may be accepted within the
profession, but it should also be appreciated within the broader environment in which the
Professional operates, amongst large and small employers, IT customers, governments, and
individuals, including Professionals and practitioners. The identification and analysis of the
benefits – for example, improved quality, innovation, competitive advantage - and subsequent
dissemination will ensure that there is a common understanding of what is expected of an IT
Professional, within the industry and beyond.
Investigate and utilise formal and informal structures to promote Professionalism:
Several approaches have been devised over recent years to assist in structuring the IT
Profession and to give consistency to how it is conveyed in Europe. This has included the
development of national and European profiles for the Profession, frameworks to define
competences of IT Professionals (e.g. e-Competence Framework), competence development
schemes such as EUCIP, as well as national level initiatives within member societies to promote
some of the characteristics of an IT Professional. CEPIS will look to collate, catalogue and
critique the existing structures that are used in the IT Profession. This will provide examples of
current practice that may be able to be adapted for wider use across Europe. In addition, CEPIS
will seek to build on existing work to create practical tools for developing and promoting
professionalism.
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Action Plan for IT Professionalism
These three inter-dependent goals can only be achieved through concrete actions, and these
actions should be drawn together into a coherent roadmap of activities. These activities will
require input from a range of organisations and individuals, both within and outside CEPIS. The
following are important steps that constitute a roadmap to the general goal of promoting IT
Professionalism and its benefits throughout Europe.
1) Survey national informatics associations throughout greater Europe on their perception of
the characteristics and most important benefits of Professionalism. Incorporate feedback
on the proposed characteristics and benefits.
2) Engage, probably through a workshop, with stakeholders outside the national informatics
associations to validate and receive feedback on the proposed characteristics and
benefits of Professionalism, particularly from small and medium enterprises, the IT
sector, and policy makers.
3) Provide the definition, containing the six characteristics of professionalism, to all member
societies and encourage their dissemination through the websites of national informatics
societies in Europe.
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4) Elaborate the benefits of promoting professionalism through scenarios and / or case
studies from different European countries and from different contexts (e.g. SMEs, non-IT
sectors etc)
5) Organise an event to communicate the definition and benefits of Professionalism to key
stakeholders outside member societies, including industry, particularly human resource
professionals and small and medium enterprises; education; and national/European
policy makers.
6) Advocate for strong, European-level policies and mechanisms that will support the
development of Professionalism across Europe.
7) Construct and execute a survey of the status of activities concerning professionalism in
national informatics societies throughout Europe.
8) Construct and execute a survey of the degree to which a sample existing practitioners
meet the defined characteristics of a Professional across Europe.
9) Identify existing formal and informal structures that assist in the promotion of
Professionalism and its characteristics – for example, the e-Competence Framework and
schemes such as EUCIP in the areas of experience and knowledge and other existing
structures in the areas of quality and ethics. Develop specific plans for engaging with
these structures.
10) Explore the requirements for developing new structures such as a Body of Knowledge
and a Framework of Ethics, which should also link where possible to existing formal and
informal structures.
CEPIS Taskforce on Professionalism
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