ABOUT US
IPSQA is the International Public Safety Qualifications Authority. We develop standards, provide independent role certification for emergency service practitioners, and accredit public safety degrees around the world.
We are not a training provider. We set standards, work with industry experts who become assessors for our certification scheme, and support higher education institutes who offer accredited public safety degrees.
Corporate Profile
Our Mission
To provide internationally recognised qualifications for the public safety industry.
Our Strategic Pillars
IPSQA has four strategic pillars that support our mission, these are:
- Standards
- Certification
- Accreditation
- Capability Development
Standards
We develop accessible, pragmatic and easy to understand standards for certification and accreditation, across a range of focus areas.
Certification
We provide independent assessment against our CertPubS® Certification Scheme through our network of trained assessors, providing robust professional credentialling for a wide range of public safety roles, based on knowledge, skill and professional requirements. The CertPubS® Certification Scheme is aligned to ISO 17024 and provides a range of benefits to adopting agencies.
Accreditation
We provide external accreditation of high education programmes in Public Safety from Diploma to Masters level, ensuring these qualifications meet industry expectations and international best practice.
Capability Development
As a social enterprise, we distribute profit through our Scholarship Commission to advance capability development in public safety across the world.
Our Focus
Public Safety encompasses a wide range of lead and supporting functions. IPSQA focus areas include technical rescue, emergency response driving, firefighting, hazardous materials, firefighting, emergency medicine, adventure park safety, law enforcement, disaster management and more.
Our Integrity
IPSQA operates to a set of Values and a strict Code of Conduct.
Commissions
IPSQA has two standing Commissions, the Certification Commission and the Scholarship Commission. Both of these are comprised of Commissioners as appointed by the Secretary-General.
The Certification Commission oversees the Certification Scheme and is critical in the quality assurance and industry engagement of this scheme.
The Scholarship Commission is comprised of an equal number of external stakeholders appointed as Commissioners, and IPSQA staff representatives who collectively determine the distribution of profits, surplus to the employee profit share.
The Accreditation Commision is being scoped to progress our Higher Education Accreditation Scheme.
Ambassadors & Special Envoys
The Chief Executive also may appoint Ambassadors to specific regions or countries or Special Envoys for specific tasks, to represent IPSQA.
We are a social enterprise
As a social enterprise, 51% of profit is distributed to improve public safety (through the Scholarship Commission), and the balance is distributed to staff under an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to ensure we continue to have committed, professional and invested people to give effect to our mission and remain sustainable.