Formal acknowledgment of your existing leadership competencies – accelerating your path to membership and certification.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a formal process that assesses the knowledge and skills you've gained through work experience, non‑formal training, self‑study, or other professional achievements – and converts them into recognised exemptions or credits towards SOME membership tiers and certifications (CME®, CEL®, etc.).
Instead of repeating what you already know or can do, RPL allows you to fast‑track your journey to chartered status. It is ideal for mid‑career professionals who have never earned formal degrees but possess deep practical expertise, or for those who have completed accredited training from other recognised bodies.
A wide range of learning and leadership achievements are eligible for RPL credit.
In‑service leadership training from corporate universities, business schools, or government academies that are recognised for their rigour.
Credentials from recognised international bodies (e.g., PMP, CFA, CIPD, etc.) that demonstrate advanced competence in a management‑relevant domain.
Authored books, white papers, case studies, or legislative drafting that has shaped industry practice or management thought.
Major initiatives, turnarounds, or transformations you have led, supported by evidence of outcomes and your specific role in their success.
Identify your learning achievements and map them to the SOME Framework competency areas – Strategic Leadership, People & Culture, Financial Acumen, Ethics & Governance, and Innovation & Change.
Submit supporting evidence – certificates, work samples, project summaries, and a reflective statement (maximum 3 pages) explaining how your prior learning relates to the competency framework.
A panel of senior SOME assessors evaluates your evidence against established RPL rubrics. They determine the level of credit – from partial exemption to full module/certification waiver.
Receive formal notification of your RPL outcome. Exemptions are valid for three years, giving you ample time to complete any remaining requirements for your target SOME credential.
Assessment fee applies. Exemptions are valid for three years.
Submit RPL Application"RPL recognised the 15 years I'd spent leading operations without a formal degree. I received credit for three modules of the CME® programme – saving me six months of study."
– Operations Director, Manufacturing
"My executive education from a top business school was fully recognised via RPL. I went straight into the Fellow assessment without repeating what I'd already mastered."
– Chief Strategy Officer, Telecom
"I built a successful consulting practice from scratch. RPL assessed my client projects as equivalent to the portfolio requirement, and I earned my CME® within weeks."
– Independent Management Consultant
Convert your years of leadership into recognised credit and accelerate your journey to chartered status.