History of I.E.A and UK Professional Development Education

The European initiative on harmonising approaches to professional higher education defines it as a distinct form of Higher Education that offers a particularly intense integration with the world of work in all its aspects (including teaching, learning, research and governance) and at all levels of the overarching Qualifications Framework of the European Higher Education Area. Its function is to diversify learning opportunities, enhance employability, offer qualifications and stimulate innovation, for the benefit of learners and society.

The intensity of integration with the world of work (which includes enterprise, civil society and the public sector) is manifested by a strong focus on application of learning. This approach involves combining phases of work and study, a concern for employability, cooperation with employers, the use of practice-relevant knowledge and use-inspired research.

Such bodies generally strive to achieve a balance between these two often conflicting mandates. Though professional bodies often act to protect the public by maintaining and enforcing standards of training and ethics in their profession, they often also act like a cartel or a labor union (trade union) for the members of the profession, though this description is commonly rejected by the body concernedincrease the opportunities open to IEA members and students.

In cases where membership of or a professional qualification from either a chartered or non-chartered professional body is necessary to practice a profession or to hold a certain title, the “European Professional Qualification Directives” require that suitably qualified people from other states (without any charter) in the “European Union” are also allowed to practice or hold a title in the UK and vice versa.

The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation;" also a body acting "to safeguard the public interest;" organizations which "represent the interest of the professional practitioners," and so "act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body." This, in turn, places the burden of enforcing aProfession banupon these associations as well.

Many professional bodies are involved in the development and monitoring of professional educational programs, and the updating of skills, and thus perform professional certification to indicate that a person possesses qualifications in the subject area. In some other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the study of vocational subjects at undergraduate level, and post-graduate qualifications outside the academic degree structure, also play a large role in professional qualification.

International Entrepreneurs Association has been granted UK government’s license and the authority to legally offer and conduct programmes at Professional and Undergraduate qualifications level. IEA,UK is founded in England and Wales (United Kingdom) during 1993 under the law of [[Companies ACT 1985]] at the Companies House, Cardiff. Its Constitution allows IEA "To establish, carry on and offer any level of undergraduate recognition of education programmes”. Under the Companies ACT 1985 and with the fufilment of higher education policy in the British Qualification Framework, IEA,UK has gaining a step of higher recognition in the education climate on its reputation and recognition. These recognitions are an endorsement of the Association’s qualification, and greatly increase the opportunities open to IEA members and students.