The IoD Continuing Professional Development Framework for Directors
Ready to up your game as a director? At IoD Ireland, we’ve created a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework for Directors to empower you to better navigate shapeshifting policy, regulatory, macro-economic and governance environment. The framework combines our knowledge and research on corporate governance best practices with expert input from members, boards and senior business executives.
Designed for directors by directors. This framework will enable you to respond astutely to the ever-changing world of business and hone the practical know-how you need to lead successfully.
Designed for directors like you.
Making Ireland an exemplar of corporate governance starts with you. Individual directors. Senior executives. And boards as a whole.
With our CPD Framework, you’ll cover the essentials of being a better director to lead your organisation through any challenge.
Access gold standard resources for board development. Unpack the complexities of succession planning. Spark connections and share knowledge at member events. Apply governance best practices in real-world scenarios. Tap into the psychology of the boardroom. Discover new strategies to foster a culture of integrity. Develop the skills to navigate complex regulatory and legal jargon. Learn how to manage risk and lead in a crisis. And ultimately steer your organisation to success.
All at a pace that suits your career goals and schedule.
Join us as we shape Ireland’s future from the inside of business out.
What you need to know. To grow.
At the heart of the IoD Ireland CPD Framework lies the belief that boards should be perpetually evolving. Always learning, always growing. This framework, centred on the concept of the “Learning Board”, places lifelong development at its core. It underscores that a board’s effectiveness hinges on the collective strength of directors committed to staying current in today’s fast-paced landscape.
Through a collective of the Chartered Director Programme*, a series of short programmes and workshops, we aim to support boards and directors in this continuous professional development and dedication to excellence. These courses are relevant, up-to-date, and packed with insight. Designed to evolve with the changing economic, regulatory and business landscape. Ensuring you get all you need to grow.
*The learning outcomes of the IoD Chartered Director Programme are mapped against the IoD UK Competency Framework for Directors. The competencies within the IoD UK framework are fully reflected in the IoD Ireland Continuing Professional Development Framework for Directors.
Our CPD Framework is divided into four competency dimensions.
- Governance Framework
- Technical Knowledge and Skills
- Creative Strategy Formulation
- Psychology of the Boardroom
From legal duties and risk management to strategy and people skills. Each dimension includes specific competencies critical to board success. Underpinning these competencies are the principles of professional ethics and integrity, context and experience.
1. Governance Framework
Transparency. Compliance. Due diligence. This dimension explores the essential duties and responsibilities of directors to keep internal governance practices to code. Gain the expertise to embed strong governance and navigate complex regulatory and legal landscapes.
2. Technical Knowledge and Skills
Performance. Risk. Accountability. This dimension unpacks the essential skills and knowledge directors need to fine-tune board decisions, ensuring optimal outcomes in compliance, risk management, control and corporate performance. Gain insight into cyber, ESG and finance to steer boards successfully into the future.
3. Creative Strategy Formulation
Leadership. Problem-solving. Future-proofing. This dimension dives into the methodologies and creative thinking needed to shape strategies that meet short and long-term business goals. Gain the know-how to turn strategic decision-making into instinct.
4. Psychology of the Boardroom
Power plays. Persuasion. Conflict. This dimension helps directors understand the emotional undercurrents, behavioural influences and subconscious reactions that impact board effectiveness. Gain the confidence to contribute positively to boardroom dynamics.
How to use the IoD Ireland CPD Framework for Directors?
There are two ways to use this course:
1. As an individual director
Invest in your career and life-long learning. Upskill, network and contribute to the collective strength of your board.
2. As a board
Future-proof your board for the challenges of tomorrow. Gain insights on board skills, composition, succession planning and training.
Answers to your questions
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Please note all IoD Ireland events and training activities are fully recognised for CPD by the Institute of Directors (UK), the awarding body, for the Chartered Director designation.
Please note IoD CPD may also be eligible for other professional body CPD, please check with your relevant professional body to confirm this. When undertaking an IoD Ireland training/event activity, IoD can provide proof of this CPD upon request.
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If you are a Chartered Director, it is mandatory to accrue 30 hours of CPD in a year. This is monitored by the IoD UK.
This is not a mandatory requirement for being an IoD Ireland member, but we would recommend members and directors to continue their professional development to ensure they are staying up to date with the latest governance requirements.
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All IoD Ireland events and webcasts (recordings of events), which are free to attend/view, are eligible for at least 1 hour of CPD. All training activity, such as our series of workshops and short programmes are also eligible for CPD. For more detail on the number of CPD hours, visit the specific IoD Ireland website pages.
Also, the reading of resources such as IoD Ireland Director Factsheets, research, and blogs etc are also eligible for CPD for Chartered Directors.
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The IoD Ireland CPD Framework is designed to empower individual directors and boards to identify which competencies they need to either further their own development as a director, or the collective skillset of their board.
For this reason, it is not necessary to accrue a certain amount of CPD credits in each competency. However, it is recommended that you leverage each of the four dimensions in the Framework to achieve a well-rounded and comprehensive competency.
Our CPD Advisory Committee
Meet the members who oversee the governance of the IoD Ireland CPD Framework for Directors below.
Dr Margaret Cullen
Chair, Professional Development Advisory Committee
Dr Margaret Cullen is a member of the IoD Faculty, where she advises on governance training, research, and advocacy.
She is also a trainer on our IoD Essentials Workshop Series and an experienced Assessor with the IoD Ireland’s Board Evaluation Service.
Margaret holds a PhD in governance from University College Dublin (UCD). She is a specialist in the areas of corporate and investment fund governance. Margaret has been an Assistant Professor at the UCD Smurfit Business School for 16 years, lecturing on the Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance in the areas of board roles and responsibilities, behavioural aspects of board and executive remuneration and incentives.
She is currently Co-Academic Director of the Institute of Banking’s (IoB) Certified Bank Director Programme on an associate basis and lectures bank governance on the programme. Margaret was the founding CEO and Academic Director of the Certified Investment Fund Director Institute (CIFDI), a specialist institute of the IoB which focuses on raising professional standards in investment fund governance through its CIFD Programme.
Margaret serves as a non-executive director on the boards of several financial services organisations and has extensive board and board committee experience. She is also a member of the Advisory Committee of the Fund Boards Council in the UK.
Dr Terry McWade CDir
Professional Development Advisory Committee Member
Dr Terry McWade CDir is a member of the IoD Ireland Council and a Chartered Director.
Terry is the former CEO of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He previously held the positions of Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Valitacell Ltd which is now part of Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Deputy CEO in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, CEO Exceptis Technologies, Principle in the Boston Consulting Group (London) and CEO (Denmark) and Adjoint Operationnel (Paris) Servier Laboratories Ltd.
He is a Board member of Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services. He is a former Chair of the European Vaccine Initiative and Deputy Chair of the Dublin University Dental Hospital. He is a former Board member of the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the Institute of Bankers.
Terry qualified in medicine from Trinity College Dublin and holds an MBA (INSEAD), MSc Healthcare Ethics and Law, Diploma in Child Health and Diploma in Corporate Governance (UCD). He is a Chartered Director of the Institute of Directors.
Eileen Gleeson CDir
Professional Development Advisory Committee Member
Eileen Gleeson is a Chartered Director (CDir) and leads the Chartered Director Programme in Ireland.
Eileen has been a director of 16 companies over the past thirty years in business, at chair, non-executive and executive levels.
She has advised some of Ireland's leading business and political leaders on communications and public affairs, including a seven-year period as Adviser to President of Ireland, Mary McAleese. Eileen has served as a non-executive director on State boards, plcs, financial services organisations and family businesses.
Caroline Kinsella
Professional Development Advisory Committee Member
Caroline Kinsella is Board and Member Services Director for the Institute of Directors in Ireland.
Caroline is responsible for developing a strategy to deliver a distinctive member experience that creates a sense of valued belonging, connection, and collegiality to IoD members. Her role also includes managing and developing IoD Ireland’s Boardroom Services, including Board Evaluations, and the Board Room Centre, ensuring these services continue to provide support to partner organisations and add value to the professional and career development of individual members.
Caroline was previously the Head of Business Development for UCD Smurfit Executive Development (SED), where she held overall responsibility for SED's Open Programme Portfolio, ranked #1 in Ireland and 35th in the world by the FT 2023 Executive Education Rankings.
Prior to her role in SED, Caroline was Alumni Relations Manager for UCD Business Alumni Community. She has also worked in the Public Relations industry, Executive Search & Selection and worked with a government agency. Caroline's qualifications include a B. Comm from UCD (2000) and an MSc in Business (Leadership and Management Practice) from UCD Smurfit School (2019).
