Frequently Asked Questions
These are questions that we often get from prospective students. If there is something else that you need to know, please get in touch.
These are questions that we often get from prospective students. If there is something else that you need to know, please get in touch.
IMPA is the International Marine Purchasing Association, a non-profit community of more than 1000 of the world's largest and most successful shipping, supplying and manufacturing companies in the maritime industry. We have been the voice of the maritime procurement profession from as early as 1978. To find out more about IMPA, please visit our main website: www.impa.net.
While our administration office might be small, please remember that our community extends to a large number of maritime procurement professionals (over 62,000 professionals) who are always happy to be actively involved in the running of the Association's projects and initiatives. We also have partnerships with recognised industry bodies, such as Lloyd's Register and EDME. Some of the courses advertised are IMPA-owned and IMPA-delivered, while some of them are created and ran by other leading industry organisations. Regardless of ownership and method of delivery, all our courses are rigorously tested and monitored to deliver a high-quality education specifically designed for marine procurement professionals.
Online learning is a method of learning that is carried out fully online. In other words, you will be able to choose when and how you study, while all activities in the classroom, as well as essay submissions are completed using our online learning platform.
Yes, it will be necessary to have a computer with regular access to internet. It is possible for you to access the materials from work or from libraries, but we recommend that you have access to a computer based in your home, as there will often be quizzes or exams that you will have to take in a quiet environment. Our online learning platform is also accessible via mobile, and you will be able to download it from the app store and log in as usual with the credentials that we generate for you.
This depends on the course. If you have doubts about the eligibility of your work experience for one of our courses, get in touch with us by using our contact form.
The amount of time that you spend studying will depend on a variety of factors, such as the level of the course you are enrolled in, how comfortable you already are with the subject and the level of proficiency that you are looking to gain. For our Assistant Buyer course, for example, it is approximated that you will need to study up to six hours per week to achieve proficiency in the subject, while for our Buyer and Senior Buyer courses, it is estimated that you will have to put in up to 12 hours per week to graduate successfully. Of course, these are only approximations, and it is important to note that, should you wish to gain further proficiency in the subject beyond the required base, you will need to invest more time.
You will have video seminars to watch, lessons, books and journal articles to read, quizzes to complete and online discussion forums to engage in.
We believe in smaller classes being conducive of better performance. You will not have to worry about sizeable cohorts who will impede you from getting involved or receiving feedback from lecturers. Our promise is to keep each class smaller than ten students at any one time.
Your marks will be dictated by the level of your answers to our assignments, your answers to regular quizzes and your input in discussion forums. But there is no need to worry, as we will make this clear from day one and you will know what is expected of you for different marking levels.
No. This is what online learning is all about. You can work whenever you have the time for it. Of course, there will be deadlines across the course, but you will know these beforehand and will have time to prepare.
We have a reputation for introducing an innovative course that offers recognition to and elevates the status of purchasing professionals. As a result, there is a fair degree of competition, but we do strive to allow everyone who meets the entry requirements to participate in our courses.
If you need to take a break from your studies, you will need to inform us as soon as possible. In some circumstances, we might allow you to come back on the course immediately after the break and catch up (depending on the length of your break). In other instances, you might be asked to continue your studies with our next intake. Our promise is that you will be able to continue them.
Once we receive your application and we send you a study offer, you will be issued with an invoice for the required amount. You will then have 28 days to pay, as long as the payment is cleared before the start of the programme. Payments are made by bank transfer.
An academic transcript is a record of your achievements that you will receive upon successful completion of one
of our programmes. It records the modules that you have completed and the marks you were awarded.
Of course! You will be invited to attend a ceremony at one of our landmark events, either IMPA London or IMPA Singapore. To attend your graduation, you will be offered a full pass to the event of your choice.
The application process is the same as if you are to apply for one of our online programmes. However, once we receive your application, we will forward it to the organisation delivering the course and your contact with IMPA regarding the course will cease. For example, if you apply for the marine auditing course delivered by Lloyd's Register (LR), we will forward your application to LR and they will contact you directly with their own terms and conditions and eventual arrangements.
If you have a question about any of these courses, please get in touch with us by using the contact form. If we cannot reply to the question ourselves, we will put you in contact with the relevant provider.
