UPDATED as of January 2024… CIPS has announced plans to dramatically reduce the availability of its exam centres throughout the UK. During 2024, there will be a phased rationalisation, as CIPS shuts down 19 of its public exam centres in the hope that learners will opt for the more expensive “remote invigilation” offering. Here we detail which exam centres will close when and how you can take advantage of the Cordie exam centre, which will be remaining open for “business as usual”.
The following schedule of closures has been released by CIPS:
Exam Centre to close at the end of 2023:
CIPS Portsmouth
CIPS Hammersmith
CIPS Wolverhampton
CIPS Leicester*
CIPS Cardiff*
CIPS Heathrow*
* Please note: the closures at Leicester, Cardiff and Heathrow were only announced by CIPS during January 2024 and so we have been unable to provide any prior notice of this.
EXAM CENTRES TO CLOSE AFTER MARCH 2024:
CIPS Norwich**
CIPS Peterborough**
CIPS Oxford**
** Please note: these closures were originally planned for 2023, but their stay of execution until March 2024 was announced at the start of 2024.
exam centres to close after may 2024:
CIPS Sheffield
CIPS Exeter
CIPS Belfast
EXAM centres to close after july 2024:
CIPS Southampton
CIPS Coventry
CIPS Reading
exam centres to close after november 2024:
CIPS Milton Keynes
CIPS Liverpool
CIPS Croydon
CIPS Edinburgh
There are obvious ramifications for learners here. One is the assumption that many are either happy to travel further distances to take an exam, or that they will be happy to switch to the “remote invigilation” option. But neither of these options are viable for all learners, so it pays to plan ahead if you are affected by these closure plans.
The remote invigilation option is definitely worth exploring and we have written about this in a previous blog. In effect, you can take the exam on your own PC in the relative comfort of your own chosen surroundings, provided you comply with the exam condition requirements.
In general, we receive positive feedback from our learners (both in the UK and across other geographic territories) about the ease and convenience of the remote invigilation exams. However, please bear in mind that they are more expensive and also that they place the onus of technological support on you. While the software and technological requirements are not overly demanding, many employers might not permit you to use your work computer for this exam. The info-security of many organisations (particularly in the defence sector, the financial services sector, some of the public sector, research sectors and pharmaceutical sectors) simply may not permit the intrusion of the software onto company hardware.
Please also remember that the Cordie exam centre will remain fully open throughout the year in 2024 and beyond. The closure of local CIPS exam centres (Southampton, Portsmouth, Oxford, Reading and Exeter) affects many of our more local student-base, but our New Forest exam centre remains open and available to you.
If you would like to discuss how these closures affect you personally or if you would like to take your exams at our exam centre, then do please get in touch. We understand the need for CIPS to cut costs and reduce its exam centres, but we have no intentions of following suit. We remain open for business as usual and look forward to seeing you soon!