Organizations today recognize project management as a critical competency. 

According to the results of the PMI study “Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027”, by 2027 employers will need almost 90 million workplaces to perform project management roles.

Colleges and universities are responding with programs that prepare students to enter the workplace with the knowledge and skills to fulfill this need.

The PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) assures accredited programs are relevant, student-focused, and accountable. As the leading accrediting body for project, program, and portfolio management programs, the GAC is committed to excellence and continuous improvement.

Accredited programs are granted:

• Graduates of GAC-accredited programs receive work experience credit toward PMI certifications
• Access to select PMI intellectual property for use in course materials at no charge
• Registration of core project management courses for pre-approved contact hours/PDUs
• Promotion on the gacpm.org global directory of accredited programs

Fundamentally, GAC accreditation:

• Confirms a program’s commitment to educational quality and continuous improvement
• Earns peer recognition and achievement of quality benchmarks
• Differentiates a program as one of a select group that embraces and promotes the discipline of project management
• Strengthens employment opportunities for graduates
• Increases marketing potential for students
• Advances the profession by promoting accreditation standards for practice and advocating programmatic rigor

GAC accreditation is open to programs serving learners in any geographic location. Accreditation is granted for a period of 3 to 5 years. The process of accreditation and maintaining GAC accreditation is subject to a fee (according to the fee table available on the website).