AALEP Lobbying Certificate Programme

To succeed in Brussels complex political environment, a lobbyist must have not only an in-depth knowledge of the EU decision-making process, but an understanding of the rules and procedures.  

It should be made clear that being ‘Accredited’ to the European Parliament or having signed into the European Commission Register of Interest Representatives does not imply that an individual has the competence to carry out lobbying activities. To be accredited competence would have to be backed up by recognized competence-based qualifications which is not the case neither under the European Parliament Accreditation procedure nor under the rules of the European Commission Register of Representatives. This is an important consideration as “Accreditation” or ‘having one’s name in the Register of Interest Representatives’ may be perceived on the market as having increased credibility, when in fact it does NOT. As a matter of fact, some organisations and individuals are not embarrassed about publicizing that they are “Accredited” to the European Parliament, or have signed into the Register of Interest Representatives  as if such accreditation or entry was a recognition of their competence. It may not be a straight case of misrepresentation since arguably they may well be registered with the European Parliament or the European Commission, but nevertheless the public might be misled by implication i.e. that the individual has indeed recognised competence.         

As defined in the Bologna Declaration, accreditation serves to assure quality when implementing new (ex ante steering) degree programmes and also to monitor existing ones (ex post steering). Accreditation, i. e. certification of a degree programme, does take place after review of the minimum standards for content and specialisation, the vocational relevance of the degree to be awarded and the coherence and consistency of the general conception of the degree programme. It is awarded for a limited period of time within the frame of a transparent, formal and external peer review. Thus, the degree programme has to be reviewed after a certain time. The process of a peer review is steered by agencies which are also reviewed through regular external evaluation. Today, there is no certification of a degree programme in lobbying be it at the European Parliament or the European Commission level. 

We have to do better and we will do better. We need standards to guide our profession and the work we do. Working in cooperation with some of Brussels’ premier lobbyists and leading political scientists, AALEP has developed a comprehensive Lobbying Certificate Programme  designed to provide lobbying professionals with the knowledge and skills to work more effectively in the EU policy-making arena, namely at the European level. 

The Lobbying Certificate Program sets a new standard of professionalism for lobbyists. In addition, it represents a distinctive qualification that will serve as an indicator of professional training for potential employers seeking qualified government relations employees. The programme is designed for practicing lobbyists looking to enhance their skills or aspiring lobbyists seeking a high level of professional responsibility. This training is not be just for lobbyists but is also be available for MEP’s staff as well. We need a change of attitudes by making this education and training available to everyone.

The Lobbying Certificate Programme is designed to help lobbyists continue their education and training. It delivers the body of knowledge and skills lobbyists need to work more effectively in the European or national policy-making arena.

Tuition

You shouldn’t have to spend several thousands euros to acquire knowledge in the practice of lobbying. For this reason each individual session in the Lobbying Certificate Program is just € 250 . The Professional Lobbying Certificate delivered by AALEP requires successful completion of 11 sessions, including the 5 mandatory core classes. Each course last 4 hours.

Certificate Program Content

The Lobbying Certificate Program covers all the critical issues of lobbying and advocacy, elements of lobbying and advocacy planning and strategies for action. Participants will gain basic skills and knowledge in visioning, contextual analysis, problem/issue identification, analysis and prioritisation, power mapping, goal/objective setting, analysis of the Brussels lobbying and advocacy arenas, message development, reports and media, public outreach and mobilisation, lobbying and negotiation, advocacy leadership and coalition building and assessment of success. The Lobbying Certificate Program includes 5 core sessions plus a choice of 7 electives. Certification requires completion of the core sessions plus 6 electives. Government relations staff not seeking full certification can attend individual sessions as needed to enhance their skills and update their knowledge in specific areas of lobbying. Each month, the Lobbying Certificate Program offers at least one session. Sessions may be taken in any order to obtain certification. All sessions are held in Brussels. The Professional Lobbying Certificate requires 11 sessions (5 core, 6 electives). All requirements can be completed at your own pace.

The Certificate Programme is based on a participatory, active learning approach, with an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning. Participants will also need to complete a number of written assignments as part of the Programme, usually including a Final Project on a topic of their choice.

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