Frequently Asked Questions

Show/Hide all FAQ answers | Show All | Hide All

Is this a genuine Business Continuity Institute (BCI) Training Course?

• Yes…This course is delivered under license from The Business Continuity Institute (BCI). The material cannot be duplicated in part or whole, either physically or electronically. Quotation from the material outside of the training environment can only be made with permission of the BCI. Translation can only be made as specified in the license documentation. The license is not transferable to another organisation without express permission from the BCI.

Who owns the course material?

• The BCI course “BCI Professional Practices” was developed and is owned by the BCI. The BCI retains all rights to the intellectual property of the material. Licensees are granted access to the training material on an annually renewable basis.

How can we be sure that this is an official BCI accreditation course?

• Contact Zack.Wood@thebci.org for verification of credentials. Mark Penberthy & Associates (Pty) Ltd. is the only BCI licensed training partner in South Africa.

Why do other courses say BCI “content approved”?

• Many BCM companies throughout the world have internally developed their own training material structured around GPG 2010 or BS 25999. “Content approved” indicates that the BCI has authorised the company to offer BCM training utilising their own contents; however the training material is the developer’s and is not BCI content.

Why is the BCI course different to other “content approved” courses?

• The BCI developed the course “BCI Professional Practices” to specifically underpin the CBCI examination. This examination is pricey and is notoriously difficult.
• The official BCI course includes 74 sample questions which are carefully scrutinized and discussed during the course. Delegates gather first-hand experience in analyzing the mode of questioning and selecting the correct answers. This includes rejecting options that appear to be valid which are however inconsistent with GPG 2010 content.
• The BCI moreover offers one year’s free membership as an Associate Member for course registrants.

How long is the course and examination?

• The course is a five day, instructor-led programme with the two-hour CBCI examination offered on the Friday afternoon, to delegates who wish to sit the paper and pencil exam. Delegates can also write the paper and pencil examination at a later training course provided this occurs within three months after examination registration.

What are the course fees?

• The course fee is US$1795.00 which is separate from the examination fee of US$500.00. These fees are set by the BCI.

What is the examination fee?

• US$500.00. This fee is determined by the BCI and is in effect globally.

Can I choose to pay the examination fee and the course fee together?

• Yes… upon registration apply for a single invoice covering both fees.

Can I pay the BCI directly?

• The examination fee is payable directly to the BCI if you wish however the training fee must be paid (in advance) to Mark Penberthy & Associates (Pty) Ltd.

How do I register for the course?

• Select a date convenient to you and e-mail mark@markpenberthy.com to request a registration form for that scheduled course.
• Click Here for a BCI Certification course schedule.

How do I register for the examination?

• Firstly you need to pay for your examination and then you will be able to register with either the BCI or with ourselves.

Are all fees payable in advance?

• Yes!

Why are fees quoted in a foreign currency?

• The BCI only sells products and services in Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars. Our license agreement stipulates that we offer the course in US Dollars.

Do I have to pay in a foreign currency?

• If you are registering in South Africa no… we will invoice you in local currency, the value of which will be the US Dollar equivalent at the prevailing exchange rate on the date of invoice.
• If you are registering outside South Africa please pay your fees in US Dollars.

When must I sit the examination?

• Registrants are required to sit the examination within three months of registering (and paying) the BCI for the examination fee.

Where can I view BCI Certification course dates and schedules?

• Click Here

Who will be my Instructor?

• The course instructor is Mark Penberthy FBCI. He has been a BCM consultant for the past 14 years, a BCM trainer for 7 years and a BCI Licensed Trainer for a further 3 years.
• Mark is a Fellow of the Business Continuity Institute and during his training career has trained over 2000 delegates throughout Africa and the Middle East.

What are the pass marks?

• The basic pass mark is 76%. This will qualify delegates for Associate Membership (AMBCI) and Specialist Membership (SBCI). It is now mandatory that delegates who wish to progress to MBCI and FBCI Professional Membership qualifications pass “with merit”. The pass mark in this instance is 85%.

What are the pass rates?

• During December 2011 a (English language) certification course was held in Saudi Arabia. 84% of delegates passed and 16% passed “with merit”.

Who else is licensed to offer this BCI accreditation course?

• Mark Penberthy & Associates (Pty) Ltd are the only licensed BCI Training Partners in Africa.

What other official BCI courses are available?

• Please Click Here

What does the acronym CBCI stand for?

• Certified by the Business Continuity Institute. This is a globally recognised accreditation and a prerequisite to become a professional member of the BCI.

Who can I speak to at the BCI?

• Your training contact at the BCI is Zack.Wood@thebci.org

What happens if I fail the examination?

• You are required to wait for 3 months before you can re-register for the CBCI examination. When you are eligible for re-registration you will have to pay a further US$500.00 to sit the examination.

Where do the examination papers come from?

• The BCI (USA office).

Who supervises the examination?

• Mark Penberthy & Associates (Pty) Ltd is required to appoint a proctor (invigilator) for each examination. The facilitator is not permitted to assume the role of proctor.

Where are the examination papers marked?

• At the BCI (USA Office)

Can I write the CBCI examination on-line?

• Yes; Prometric are the BCI’s examination partners. Prometric have offices throughout the world (as well as in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria).

How many questions are there in the examination?

• 120 questions; only 100 of which count… the others are “under evaluation”. Delegates therefore have an average of 1 minute to answer each of the 120 questions.

Within what period must I write the examination?

• Within 3 months after your examination registration.

If I attend the course do I have to sit the CBCI examination?

• No! Sitting the examination is not compulsory.

When do examination results become available?

• 4 – 6 weeks after the examination is held.

Where are BCI Certification and Accreditation courses offered?

• We are available to train anywhere in the world as our license is global. Our main focus however is in South Africa (Johannesburg and Cape Town) as well as other African countries and the Middle East. Most of the out-of-country training is in-house.