The process of selecting an Examination Institute(EI's) to sit for an exam has changed with the introduction of ITIL V3. Like ITIL training providers, examination institutes are now operating in the amazing world of multiple delivery formats which include classroom, virtual classroom, self-study classroom and blended classroom training models.

Outside of the politics (which I will leave up to other industry pundits to write about), not much has been written about the process you or your organization should go through when selecting a ITIL EI to support your ITIL exam needs.

This DITY is designed to give practitioners and training coordinators a detailed understanding of the components that make up ITIL examination institutes, along with insight into the ten EI's that currently support examination requirements on a global basis.

ITIL® Examination Institutes (EI's)

All organizations approved by APM Group Limited (the official ITIL Accreditor) as EIs are audited by independent auditors appointed by APM Group in accordance with the principles of international best practice standards. If the systems used by the applicant organizations align with these guidelines, they will be granted permission to administer the scheme for ITIL accreditation and qualifications and will also be offered a place on the Qualifications Board. Under the contracts signed with APM Group, EIs are allowed to undertake the following activities:

• Approve training organizations through the standards and mechanisms audited and agreed by APM Group.
• Administer examinations via those organizations they have approved using the standards and mechanisms agreed by APM Group.

EIs are permitted to operate an ITIL examination scheme through a network of Accredited Training Organizations, and Accredited Trainers with Accredited materials.

All EIs also have representation on the ITIL Qualifications Board; the governance and standards setting body for the ITIL scheme.

The selection of an Examination Institute often revolves around its geographic proximity, processes for qualifying and providing examination proctors, and ability to handle special examination requirements.

The thing to remember when selecting an examination institute is that they all distribute the same exams globally. The key difference comes down to the following

• Exam Delivery Methods - With ITIL V3 supporting multiple training delivery models it's important for the EI to support easy to use delivery methods that align with the training model the student has selected. One thing to remember is to get the details behind their offering as they are not all created equal. Delivery models include:
• Public Testing (PT) centers offering both paper based and online exams
• Onsite Testing (OST) using either paper based or online exams
• Online Testing (OLT) using an online web cam proctor

Customer Service - There are two schools of thought on customer service in the EI world. Some leave everything up to the student to coordinate while others provide support services to assist the student through the process. Other services include certificate and ITIL pin distribution.

The current Examination Institutes are:

1. APMG-UK - APMG specializes in the accreditation and certification of organizations, processes and people, offering global accreditation and examination services for training providers.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST, OLT
2. CSME - CSME has been working to promote IT Professionalism in the US and the Americas for over half a decade. While we have been focused on ITIL to date, CSME is positioned to support all IT Certification schemes that promote IT Professionalism. CSME is committed to maintaining and advancing the integrity of the examination processes for all IT Professional Certifications. We do this while always putting customer service first.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST, OLT
3. EXIN - The Examination Institute for Information Science in the Netherlands (EXIN) is a global, independent IT examination provider. EXIN establishes educational requirements and develops and organizes examinations and learning tracks in the field of IT.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST
4. ISEB - The Information Systems Examination Board (ISEB) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Computer Society. The ISEB provides industry recognized qualifications that measure competence, ability and performance in many areas of IT, including ITIL.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST
5. LCS - Loyalist Certification Services (LCS) is a premier deliverer of ITIL certification exams in North America.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST, OLT
6. DANSK IT - With more than 6,000 members, DANSK IT is a leading interest organization for IT-professionals in Denmark. Its core activities revolve around member networks, conferences, courses, certification programs and IT political advice to the Danish Government and its agencies. Founded in 1958, DANSK IT is among the first IT societies in the world.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST
7. DF Certifiering AB - DF Certifiering AB (DFC), is a wholly owned subsidiary to Dataföreningen i Sverige, the Swedish Computer Society with 26,000 IT professionals as members in Sweden. DFC's role is to give accreditation to training providers and certify IT. DFC also provides products in the field of Information Security and self assessing tests for e-Citizens.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST
8. CERT IT - Cert-IT was founded by the developers of the IT Training System. We are the first accredited certification body for IT professionals worldwide. We use this competence of development as a clear advantage.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST
9. PEOPLECERT - Through 8,850 examination locations worldwide and with more than 600,000 certified individuals and 3,000,000 exams to date, PEOPLECERT Group, the experts in certifying professionals, offers ITIL certifications, as well as other globally recognised, independent certifications that evaluate competence, know-how and expertise and are key to today's competitive, performance-driven business environment. Simple, fast, reliable.
   Exam delivery methods include PT, OST, OLT
10. Tuv sud Akademie - The TUV SUD Group is well known for consulting, testing, certification and training on behalf of industry, trade and commerce, public institutions and private individuals. TUV SUD creates increased safety and added economic value by supporting the competitive strength of our customers through the world. TUV SUD Mission: Choose certainty. Add value.
    Exam delivery methods include PT, OST

Summary

Hopefully the above information has provided some insight into the world of ITIL examination institutes. This summary along with the plethora of information on the Official ITIL Web Site should provide you the information you need to make an informed decision when selecting an EI for your ITSM V3 examination needs.