Effective 1 March 2011, PMI will implement a simplified structure for categorizing professional development units (PDUs).

Based on customer feedback, the new PDU structure will be more user-friendly and better serve PMI’s credential holders and the stakeholders who support them.

If you hold one of PMI’s credentials that require PDUs for maintenance, please be sure to register your earned PDUs in the continuing certification requirements (CCR) system prior to 1 March. No PDUs will be lost during this transition. After 1 March 2011, credential holders will need to report any earned PDUs that have not been claimed using the new categories.

Overview of Changes
The restructuring will reduce the number of PDU categories from 18 to 6. The six new categories will be grouped under two divisions—“Education” and “Giving Back to the Profession.”

All categories use the rule that one hour of learning activity is equivalent to one PDU. Categories have been expanded to include Web 2.0 learning opportunities.

There will be limits on certain categories in the “Giving Back to the Profession” division to ensure that all credential holders pursue project management continuing education as part of maintaining their credential.

What is Not Changing
The three-year renewal cycle and number of PDUs required to maintain your credential will remain the same, as will the re-certification fee structure.

Please take a moment to go to the CCR Category Update page on PMI.org and read through the FAQs and the New PDU Category Structure and Policies document to learn about the new PDU categories and for more detailed information about this update.