Continuing education unit
Encyclopedia
A Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a measure used in continuing education
programs, particularly those required in a licensed
profession
in order for the professional to maintain the license. Examples of people who need CEUs include interior designers/interior architects, lighting designers, architects, engineers, educators, nurses, mental health professionals, and social workers. Generally, a CEU is defined as ten hours of participation in a recognized continuing education program, with qualified instruction
and sponsorship. CEU records are widely used to provide evidence of completion of continuing education requirements mandated by certification bodies
, professional societies
, or governmental licensing boards
. The records also provide employers with information on training pertinent to particular occupations
.
The term CEU is in the public domain. Any organization may award a traditional CEU without requiring any accreditation. With a traditional CEU an employer or other organization must decide on an individual basis whether to honor the CEU from a training provider.
Due to certain CEU providers not adhering to high standards, and the lack of standards for specific fields, there is sometimes a distrust of the value of a CEU, and accrediting organizations have been created to standardize what a CEU means. The International Association for Continuing Education & Training (IACET) offers the most industry wide accreditation of CEUs. Specific industries, such as nursing, health, etc., have their own accrediting processes for CEUs. Any accredited CEU generally has a preface of the accrediting body. For instance training institutions accredited by the IACET can offer IACET CEUs.
In some countries, such as Canada, the term Continuing Education Credit (CEC) is used instead.
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
programs, particularly those required in a licensed
Licensure
Licensure refers to the granting of a license, which gives a "permission to practice." Such licenses are usually issued in order to regulate some activity that is deemed to be dangerous or a threat to the person or the public or which involves a high level of specialized skill...
profession
Profession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
in order for the professional to maintain the license. Examples of people who need CEUs include interior designers/interior architects, lighting designers, architects, engineers, educators, nurses, mental health professionals, and social workers. Generally, a CEU is defined as ten hours of participation in a recognized continuing education program, with qualified instruction
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and sponsorship. CEU records are widely used to provide evidence of completion of continuing education requirements mandated by certification bodies
Professional certification
Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task...
, professional societies
Professional body
A professional association is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a...
, or governmental licensing boards
Licensure
Licensure refers to the granting of a license, which gives a "permission to practice." Such licenses are usually issued in order to regulate some activity that is deemed to be dangerous or a threat to the person or the public or which involves a high level of specialized skill...
. The records also provide employers with information on training pertinent to particular occupations
Profession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
.
The term CEU is in the public domain. Any organization may award a traditional CEU without requiring any accreditation. With a traditional CEU an employer or other organization must decide on an individual basis whether to honor the CEU from a training provider.
Due to certain CEU providers not adhering to high standards, and the lack of standards for specific fields, there is sometimes a distrust of the value of a CEU, and accrediting organizations have been created to standardize what a CEU means. The International Association for Continuing Education & Training (IACET) offers the most industry wide accreditation of CEUs. Specific industries, such as nursing, health, etc., have their own accrediting processes for CEUs. Any accredited CEU generally has a preface of the accrediting body. For instance training institutions accredited by the IACET can offer IACET CEUs.
In some countries, such as Canada, the term Continuing Education Credit (CEC) is used instead.