SGCB Recertification Policy
Sopheria Global Certification Board (SGCB) — certification body of the Sopheria Global Institute of Technology (SGIT)
| Reference | Value |
|---|---|
| Document | SGCB-GOV-002 |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Effective date | July 10, 2026 |
| Approval | SGCB Governance Council |
| Scope | All certifications in the SGCB™ catalog |
Scientia. Integritas. Futurum.
1. Purpose
Artificial intelligence technologies evolve rapidly. For SGCB certifications to retain their value as attestations of current — not past — competence, each holder must demonstrate, at regular intervals, that their knowledge has been maintained and kept up to date.
This policy sets out the conditions for maintaining, renewing, suspending and expiring SGCB certifications, together with the institute's continuing professional development unit system (Sopheria PDUs).
It applies to the entire catalog, from SQF level 100 (Foundation) to SQF level 500 (Executive), including the flagship certification CASD™ (Certified AI Solutions Developer · Claude Code, SQF 300).
2. Certification Cycle
2.1. Every SGCB certification is valid for three (3) years from the issue date shown on the certificate.
2.2. The recertification cycle opens on the issue date and closes on the three-year anniversary date (the "expiration date").
2.3. Renewal is achieved through one of the following two pathways, at the holder's option:
- Pathway A — Continuing education: declaration of 60 Sopheria PDUs earned during the cycle (section 3);
- Pathway B — Re-examination: passing the current examination for the certification concerned (section 5).
2.4. Renewal opens a new three-year cycle beginning on the expiration date of the previous cycle (not on the date the file is processed), so that early renewals are not penalized.
2.5. Holders of multiple SGCB certifications manage one cycle per certification. A single continuing education activity may be declared for multiple certifications if it is relevant to each of the domains concerned.
3. Continuing Professional Development Units: Sopheria PDUs
3.1 Definition
The Sopheria PDU (Professional Development Unit) is the SGCB's unit of measure for continuing professional development. One PDU corresponds to one hour of professional development activity that is verifiable and relevant to the certification's domain.
3.2 Requirement per Cycle
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| PDUs required per 3-year cycle | 60 Sopheria PDUs |
| Recommended indicative pace | 20 PDUs per year |
| Minimum in the "Education" category | 35 PDUs |
| Cap in the "Professional contribution" category | 25 PDUs |
3.3 Eligible Activities and Credit Schedule
Category A — Education (minimum 35 PDUs per cycle)
| Activity | Credit | Cap per cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Courses, training programs or bootcamps related to the certified domain (any provider, including the Sopheria Global Academy) | 1 PDU / hour of training | No cap |
| Professional conferences, seminars, webinars | 1 PDU / hour of session attended | 20 PDUs |
| Self-paced online training with final assessment | 1 PDU / estimated program hour | 20 PDUs |
| Structured reading (technical books, standards, scientific publications) with summary sheet | 1 PDU / 2 hours of reading | 10 PDUs |
| Earning another recognized professional certification in the domain | 10 PDUs flat | 20 PDUs |
Category B — Professional Practice
| Activity | Credit | Cap per cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Professional practice in the certified domain (at least 6 months of activity in the year) | 5 PDUs / year | 15 PDUs |
| Completion of a significant documented project applying the certified competencies | 5 PDUs / project | 10 PDUs |
Category C — Professional Contribution (overall cap: 25 PDUs per cycle)
| Activity | Credit | Cap per cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Delivering training, teaching or tutoring in the domain | 2 PDUs / hour delivered | 15 PDUs |
| Conference presentation or preparation of the associated materials | 3 PDUs / presentation | 12 PDUs |
| Publication of technical articles, books or substantial open source contributions | 3 to 10 PDUs depending on scale, with supporting evidence | 15 PDUs |
| Participation in SGCB work (examination item review, competency framework workshops, beta testing) | 2 PDUs / hour | 15 PDUs |
| Formalized mentoring of junior professionals | 1 PDU / hour | 10 PDUs |
| Qualified volunteering in professional organizations in the sector | 1 PDU / hour | 10 PDUs |
3.4 Eligibility Conditions
An activity is eligible only if it meets all three of the following conditions:
- it is relevant to the domain and SQF level of the certification concerned;
- it was completed during the current cycle;
- it is substantiated: attendance certificate, completion certificate, program, publication link, employer statement or any equivalent supporting evidence.
In accordance with the principle of separation between training and certification, attending Sopheria Global Academy (SGA) training courses is eligible for PDUs under the same conditions and at the same credit rates as training from any other provider. It confers no advantage in the assessment or in the processing of the recertification file.
3.5 Declaration and Verification
3.5.1. Holders declare their PDUs on an ongoing basis through their online certification account, retaining supporting evidence for at least twelve (12) months after the end of the cycle.
3.5.2. The SGCB conducts a random audit of at least 5% of recertification files. An audited holder provides their supporting evidence within thirty (30) days.
3.5.3. Any inaccurate or fraudulent declaration constitutes a violation of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (SGCB-GOV-001) and exposes its author to the disciplinary procedure provided therein, without prejudice to rejection of the recertification file.
4. Surplus PDUs
PDUs earned beyond the required 60 units do not carry over to the following cycle, except for PDUs earned during the last six (6) months of the cycle, which may be carried over up to a limit of 10 PDUs.
5. Pathway B — Re-examination
5.1. At any time during the last twelve (12) months of their cycle, the holder may sit the current examination for their certification. Passing counts as full recertification, with no PDU requirement for the completed cycle.
5.2. The examination taken is the current version of the certification framework as of the examination date, which may differ from the version originally earned.
5.3. In the event of failure, the holder retains their certification until its expiration date and may either retake the examination (under the SGCB's standard retake conditions) or complete their PDUs under Pathway A.
5.4. Re-examination is mandatory (Pathway A is not available) in two cases: reinstatement after expiration beyond the grace period (section 6.3), and a decision of the Ethics Committee imposing re-examination as a corrective measure.
6. Certification Statuses
6.1 Status Table
| Status | Definition | Associated rights |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Certification currently valid, requirements up to date | Use of the title, code (e.g. CASD™) and digital badge; listing in the public register |
| Suspended | Requirements not met at the expiration date, during the grace period, or disciplinary sanction | Use of the title and badge prohibited; "suspended" notation in the register; reactivation possible |
| Expired | Requirements not met by the end of the grace period, or non-renewal | Use of the title and badge prohibited; removal from the register of active certified professionals |
6.2 Suspension for Non-Renewal
If, at the expiration date, the holder has neither validated 60 PDUs nor passed the re-examination, the certification moves to Suspended status for a grace period of twelve (12) months. During this period:
- the holder may not use the title or the badge;
- the holder may complete their missing PDUs or pass the re-examination;
- regularization restores Active status, with the new cycle running from the original expiration date.
Suspension imposed as a disciplinary measure is governed by the rules of the Code of Ethics (SGCB-GOV-001), which prevail over this section.
6.3 Expiration and Reinstatement
At the end of the grace period without regularization, the certification moves to Expired status. Reinstatement is then possible only by passing the current examination, under the conditions applicable to new candidates. No PDUs from the expired cycle are carried forward.
7. Renewal Fees
7.1. Renewal is subject to a nominal processing fee, intended to cover the administrative costs of verification and register updates — not to generate revenue:
| Operation | Fee |
|---|---|
| Renewal through Pathway A (60 PDUs) | EUR 30 per cycle and per certification |
| Simultaneous renewal of multiple certifications | EUR 30 for the first, EUR 15 per additional certification |
| Renewal through Pathway B (re-examination) | Current examination fee; no additional renewal fee |
| Regularization during the grace period | Renewal fee + EUR 15 late fee |
7.2. A full waiver of renewal fees may be granted, upon reasoned request, to holders in demonstrated financial hardship, students and job seekers. The procedures are published on the institute's website.
7.3. Fees are revised, as applicable, by the SGCB Governance Council, with ninety (90) days' notice.
8. Notifications and Support
8.1. The SGCB notifies each holder at 12 months, 6 months, 3 months and 1 month before the expiration date, and again upon entry into the grace period.
8.2. The online certification account displays at all times the count of validated PDUs, PDUs pending supporting evidence, and the cycle's expiration date.
8.3. Non-receipt of a notification does not relieve the holder of their obligations: tracking the cycle remains the holder's responsibility.
9. Special Cases
9.1. Justified interruption. In the event of parental leave, long-term illness, national service or any duly substantiated exceptional circumstance, the holder may request a cycle extension of up to twelve (12) months, free of charge. The request is processed by the SGCB secretariat.
9.2. Voluntary withdrawal. The holder may at any time request that their certification be voluntarily moved to Expired status. Reinstatement then takes place under the conditions of section 6.3.
9.3. Framework evolution. Where a certification framework is substantially revised, the SGCB may define transitional measures (targeted upskilling PDUs, supplementary assessment module), announced at least twelve (12) months before they take effect.
10. Final Provisions
10.1. This policy is adopted and revised by the SGCB Governance Council. Revisions are published with at least ninety (90) days' notice and do not apply retroactively to cycles in progress, except where a provision is more favorable to the holder.
10.2. It is to be read in conjunction with the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (SGCB-GOV-001), compliance with which is a condition for maintaining any certification.
Sopheria Global Certification Board — independent certification body of the Sopheria Global Institute of Technology. Claude is a trademark of Anthropic. The SGCB is an independent body, not affiliated with Anthropic.