Certification

The three tiers

The SAAII credential framework has three tiers. Each tier maps to a level of demonstrated competency and requires a defined combination of programmes and assessments.

SAAII Certified Practitioner (CP)

Awarded on completion of a single foundational programme and its assessment. Recognises working knowledge of the subject area — for example, SAAII CP — EU AI Act (Foundations). Suitable for professionals adding an area to their remit.

SAAII Certified Specialist (CS)

Awarded on completion of a full pillar of the curriculum (typically three to four programmes) with a specialist-level integrating assessment. Recognises depth across a domain — for example, SAAII CS — AI Governance. Suitable for professionals whose primary responsibility is in the area.

SAAII Chartered Fellow (CF)

Awarded on completion of two or more specialist tracks, submission of a supervised practitioner portfolio, and interview. Recognises senior-level integrating expertise across AI governance, risk, and regulation. Suitable for heads of function, chief risk officers, and general counsel.

How assessment works

Each module concludes in a short formative assessment. Each programme concludes in a summative assessment — a mix of applied scenarios, worked artefacts, and structured questions, marked against a published rubric.

Assessments are open-book. What we test is judgement, not recall. You reason from the source material — the Act, the standard, the framework — in the way you would in your own working environment.

The published rubric

Every SAAII summative assessment is marked against four criteria, weighted:

• Regulatory accuracy (30%) — correct identification of the applicable law, standard, or framework, cited to the article, clause, or section.
• Applied judgement (30%) — reasoned application to the scenario, including trade-offs and residual risk.
• Artefact quality (25%) — the quality of the deliverable produced, judged against the standard a competent practitioner would recognise.
• Communication (15%) — clarity, structure, and defensibility in front of a regulator, an auditor, or a board.

Pass mark is 60%. A mark of 75% or above is issued with distinction. Rubrics are published in full in the enrolment pack and again inside the course before the assessment opens. No other AI governance credential publishes its rubric in advance. We do, because we want you to know what you are being tested on and why.

CPD accreditation

SAAII programmes are accredited by The CPD Certification Service across the full catalogue — not just a single flagship. Each programme states its CPD hour value on the enrolment page. Completion is evidenced on the issued credential in a form accepted by UK and international professional bodies.

Verifiable digital credentials

Credentials are issued as verifiable digital certificates. Each is machine-readable, tamper-evident, and independently verifiable by a third party through a public verification endpoint. Physical certificates are available on request.

Renewal

Practitioner and Specialist credentials are valid for three years from award. Renewal requires a short recertification module reflecting any material changes in the underlying regulation or standards. Fellow credentials do not expire but require an annual attestation of continuing practice.

The value of a credential is what a third party is prepared to believe about it. Every part of the SAAII framework is designed to make that belief warranted.