ECDL is the Europe-wide and international qualification that enables people to demonstrate their competence in computing skills and applications. Its aims are: to raise the general level of competency in IT; to improve productivity at the work place; to enable employers invest more efficiently in IT; and to ensure that best practice and quality issues are well understood and implemented.

The European Computer Driving Licence is the first pan-European Union qualification in personal computing skills. It is not designed specifically for Information Systems professionals - rather it is for those who wish to gain a basic qualification in computing to help them with their current job, to help them grow their skills and enhance career prospects or just for general interest.

Built around a modern, practical syllabus, the European Computer Driving Licence is attractive to candidates of all ages and to employees and employers alike. This is a qualification that not only recognises the increasing importance of computing to all walks of life, but is also set to become recognised by the wider business and educational worlds.

for the individual ?

ECDL is designed to help people at work and at home. It will confirm to potential employers that the person has a professionally recognized, relevant and up-to-date qualification and it will assist in raising productivity and familiarity with the technology and its uses.

...for the employer?

ECDL helps provide proof of competency in the computer skills of potential employees. Similarly, a company looking to train up its workforce will want to ensure that the money they spend on training courses is going to be well spent. This can be achieved if organizations seek training provision through Accredited ECDL Training Centres.

...for the training provider?

Colleges and other training providers are well aware of the importance of Information Technology to the world of work and businesses - and increasingly, to the individual in their day-to-day life. Indeed, many courses already incorporate significant elements of the teaching of basic and advanced computer skills - but there is no widely accepted qualification.

Now, a Europe-wide recognised qualification - the European Computer Driving Licence - is set to meet these needs.

ECDL is not like any other qualification. It has become the most widely recognised qualification in the field of work-related computer use, partly because it is targeted at the full spectrum of the population, and partly because of the support and monitoring of the organizations behind it.

The implementation of ECDL in Cyprus is being managed by the Cyprus Computer Society (CCS), the scientific, professional, independent and not-for-profit making body of Information Technology and Computing in Cyprus.

The CCS is responsible for the deployment of ECDL in Cyprus and we are continously working to enhance the national network of ECDL Approved Test Centres.

The ECDL DOES NOT EXPIRE.

ECDL is always current as it implements a generic syllabus that covers the latest trends in technology of computing and software applications.

What does the ECDL cost?

There are two elements of the ECDL which necessarily involve a charge. These are:

• A Log Book -  €8.5 (£5). Every candidate has to buy one when he first registers in the ECDL Core programme. Please enquire about the cost of the Log Book for the other ECDL products.
• Testing Fees - Each test for the ECDL Core costs €56 £33 Cyprus Pounds.  Please enquire with your Approved Test Center about the fees for other tests.
• Note: If you are charged any different amounts than the ones indicated above please contact the ECDL Cyprus Project Manager. 
• Training courses. Any training a candidate undertakes in order to reach the required ECDL standard will have to be paid for. Details of these charges can be obtained from the Approved Test Centre directly. 

Accreditation of training and testing centers is managed and controlled by the Cyprus Computer Society.

An ECDL Auditor will visit the Training Center and will discuss the issues of a)Facilities b) Personnel c) Management Approach with the manager of the Center. All information will be recorded and evaluated by the ECDL Cyprus Board. A decision will be reached and communicated to the Center.

Interested Centers may contact the ECDL Cyprus Office  to indicate their interest. They will be contacted by the ECDL Secretariat with information and instructions on how to proceed.

As ECDL is responsive to the demand for testing at the Approved Centre, each testing process is practicalyl a rigorous audit whcih ensures compliance with the syllabus and the appropriateness of the testing regimes. Whichever centre the individual uses to take their tests, standards and conformance will be guaranteed.

Activities relating to the ECDL in Cyprus are co-ordinated by the Cyprus Computer Society (CCS). The CCS can provide:

• ECDL Training : The CCS neither recommends any specific training providers nor does it accredit training providers. It maintains a database of training providers who have registered with the CCS the fact that they offer ECDL training. The database will contain names of further and higher education colleges, schools, universities and private training companies.                                                                                                              

• ECDL Approved Testing Centres: This is where ECDL testing takes place. All ECDL Approved Test Centres have been accredited by the CCS so there is a common quality assured standard of  testing throughout the country.

• ECDL Log Books : Everyone undergoing testing for the ECDL will require a Log Book which is used to maintain a formal record of their success in the various tests. There is a charge of 5 Pounds for the ECDL Log Book.

• The ECDL Syllabus : The ECDL Syllabus is published by the ECDL Foundation. It is updated periodically to assure it is in line with developments in the requirements for personal computing skills within business, organizations and the industry in general. Any such changes are done after consultation with the ECDL Member States based on a standard and documented procedure that is followed and gives the Countries the opportunity to make recommendations as to the content of the Syllabus.                                           

• ECDL Start Licence : Those individuals who are successful in passing four (4) of the seven (7) tests of the ECDL Core and have their Log Books stamped accordingly are awarded the "ECDL Start". One of the Tests a Candidate must pass is the ECDL Module 1, "Fundamentals of IT".                                                                                                 
• ECDL Licence: Those individuals who are successful in passing all seven  (7)  tests of the ECDL Core will have their Log Books marked accordingly and when all are complete the ECDL Log Book can be sent to the CCS who will issue an ECDL Licence in association with the ECDL Foundation. The ECDL Licence is recognised throughout the European Union and other countries of the world.

If you still have questions about the ECDL Concept, the ECDL Syllabus, the Training and Testing Process or a general query or recommendation, please contact the ECDL (Cyprus) Secretariat at this email address ecdlcy@spidernet.com.cy. You may also contact the CCS/ECDL Cyprus Offices at the telephone number 22460680.