Accreditation Criteria & Standards
The standards a programme must meet to earn and maintain the CPD Europe mark. Criteria are published in full — no surprises, no hidden requirements.
1 CPD Europe Credit = 1 structured learning hour
Maximum 8 credits per calendar day. Compatible with UEMS-EACCME credit definitions. Credits are awarded for verified, provider-led structured learning — not self-study or passive attendance without assessment.
Accreditable Activity Types
CPD Europe accredits all forms of structured continuing professional development for healthcare professionals. The table below summarises each activity type and the specific evidence required from applicants.
| Activity Type | Examples | Required Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Live Conferences & Congresses | Annual medical congresses, national/international specialty conferences, scientific symposia | Scientific programme, faculty affiliations, session schedule with learning objectives per session |
| Seminars & Workshops | Skill-building workshops, clinical technique seminars, grand rounds, master classes | Session outline, learning objectives, assessment/reflection method, faculty details |
| Online & Blended Courses | E-learning modules, video lecture series, blended classroom + online pathways | Platform details, module structure, completion tracking, assessment methodology |
| Webinars & Live-Stream Events | Live Q&A sessions, online grand rounds, CME-linked broadcast events | Session agenda, confirmed faculty, attendance verification method, post-event reflection |
| Journal-Based CPD | Journal reading programmes, CME articles with self-assessment, structured literature review modules | Journal editorial independence, assessment questions, scoring rubric, certificate mechanism |
| Podcasts & Audio Learning | Medical education podcasts, structured audio modules with reflection components | Episode structure, educational objectives, evidence of learner engagement and post-listening assessment |
Eligibility Requirements
- ✓ Healthcare professional associations and colleges
- ✓ Universities and academic health centres with CPD functions
- ✓ Hospitals and health system training departments
- ✓ Independent medical education organisations
- ✓ Public health institutions and research centres
- ✓ Commercial medical education companies (with enhanced requirements)
- → Legally registered entity in country of operation
- → At least one operational CPD programme targeting healthcare professionals
- → Named programme director with healthcare or education qualifications
- → Existing quality management processes (may be informal for first applicants)
- → Signed commitment to CPD Europe Code of Conduct
Programme Standards
The programme must demonstrate it was designed in response to an identified professional development need among the target healthcare audience. Evidence of needs assessment (survey data, literature review, gap analysis, or consultation with professional bodies) is required at application.
Each programme must have specific, measurable learning objectives at the activity level. Objectives must be communicated to learners before participation and must align with stated credit hours.
Educational content must be free from commercial bias. Where commercial sponsors contribute funding, structural separation of educational decisions from sponsor influence must be documented and demonstrable. Branded promotional sessions may not carry CPD Europe credits.
Scientific and clinical content must be based on current evidence. Presenters must identify when content is opinion-based or when evidence is limited. References to published literature, guidelines or systematic reviews are expected for clinical content.
Providers must systematically evaluate learner outcomes and satisfaction and demonstrate that evaluation findings are used to improve programme quality. Annual evaluation reports are submitted as part of the ongoing accreditation declaration.
Faculty Independence
Faculty independence is non-negotiable. CPD Europe’s criteria in this area align with EACCME and WMA standards for independence in medical education.
- •All faculty must complete a conflict of interest declaration before each activity
- •Declarations cover financial relationships with commercial interests in the past 24 months
- •Disclosed conflicts must be communicated to learners at the start of the activity
- •Declarations are retained by the provider for 5 years and subject to CPD Europe audit
- •Identified conflicts must be managed or the faculty member excluded from that content area
- •Provider must document how each disclosed conflict was resolved
- •Commercial sponsors may not select, brief, or review faculty educational content
- •Editorial independence of the programme director must be documented
Learner Assessment & Certificates
Providers must implement a reliable system for verifying learner participation — sign-in registers, digital attendance logs, or completion tracking for online courses.
Certificates must include learner name, activity title, date, provider name, number of CPD Europe credits awarded, and the CPD Europe accredited badge.
Participation records must be retained for a minimum of 5 years from the date of the activity and produced on request to CPD Europe or the learner.
At minimum, learners must complete a post-activity evaluation. Providers are encouraged to implement pre/post knowledge assessments for clinical content.
Ongoing Accreditation Requirements
Accreditation is a 3-year cycle. During the cycle, providers must meet these ongoing obligations:
Confirm no material changes to programme scope, faculty, or funding. Submit annual evaluation summary.
At the end of each 3-year cycle, full re-accreditation is required. Streamlined process for providers with clean compliance records.
Any material change to programme content, format, faculty or commercial support must be notified within 30 days.
CPD Europe may conduct document or site audits. Providers must cooperate fully and within 15 business days of request.
GMJ Academy — Accredited Provider
GMJ Academy (academy.gmj.ge) holds CPD Europe accreditation across 500+ courses in public health, medical education and health management. Every course meets the standards set out on this page.
Independence notice: CPD Europe is an independent accreditation body operating under Accréditation Sans Frontières (Paris). References to international organisations (WMA, UEMS, WHO, UNESCO, ILO, EU institutions) indicate standards alignment only — they do not imply formal affiliation, partnership, or endorsement by those organisations. CPD Europe accreditation is distinct from and does not substitute for EACCME, UEMS, or national regulatory body recognition.
A programme of Accréditation Sans Frontières
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