Operational Research Professional Accreditation

The OR Society offers its members three pathways for professional certification

• OR Society accreditation
• Chartered Scientist and Registered Scientist
• Certified / Advanced Data Science Professional

These certifications are exclusive to members, as belonging to a recognised professional society is a core element of demonstrating professional competence.

You're not limited to just one route: you can pursue any or all of these certifications depending on your experience and goals.  The summaries below  are designed to help you choose the pathway that's right for you:

The OR Society’s Accreditation Scheme

Any OR Society member with a relevant degree and a desire for professional development can embark upon The OR Society’s staged accreditation scheme, from Candidate Associate (CandORS) for new entrants and Associate (AORS) for those with a couple of years’ experience, to Associate Fellow (AFORS) for those with more substantial experience and finally Fellow (FORS) for those with a significant track record and influence.

Choose OR Society accreditation if:

• You want to show specifically that you are an OR professional or
• You want appropriate recognition at any stage of your career or
• You want a one-off accreditation with no need for review or renewal

You will need to compile evidence of your achievements and experience suitable to the level applied for and identify two referees who can confirm the content of your application.

Learn more

Chartered Scientist and Registered Scientist

CSci and RSci are qualifications established by the Science Council and made available to our members through being licensed to The OR Society. They are ideal for anyone who wants a widely recognised accreditation, demonstrating their scientific competence. The track record and experience are required for application and CSci is roughly equivalent to our AFORS grade.

Choose Science Council accreditation if:

• You want a chartered qualification or
• You want a designation recognised by people unfamiliar with OR or
• You want a designation that is being promoted beyond The OR Society

CSci and RSci registrants must follow a code of conduct, commit to continuing professional development (CPD) and keep records of CPD that may be inspected on demand.

Alliance for Data Science Professionals Certification

The Alliance brings together four learned societies along with The Alan Turing Institute and NPL to offer two levels of certification – Data Science Professional and Advanced Data Science Professional – working against common standards to ensure an ethical and well-governed approach so the public, organisations and governments can have confidence in how their data is used. The certification is offered via each of the Alliance members: The OR Society; BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT; the Institute for Maths & its Applications; and The Royal Statistical Society.

Choose AfDSP if:

• You want to show specifically that you are a data science professional or
• You want a scheme relevant across the full spectrum of data science or
• You want a designation that is being promoted beyond The OR Society

AfDSP registrants must follow a code of conduct, commit to continuing professional development (CPD) and keep records of CPD that may be inspected on demand.