IAM Academy launched

Caveat Emptor!

Students will be aware that an awarding body (IQ) acquired the intellectual property (IP) of the IAM in early 2014, after the original Institute was placed into liquidation.

Although this awarding body has refused to promote any established providers of IAM qualifications via the IAM or IQ websites, they have now launched the ‘IAM Academy’. While we wish the awarding body well in this venture, those considering it may wish to note:

• The “IAM Academy” is in fact an independent company called Learning Resources International Ltd (LRI), who for every student they get, pass back a percentage of student fees to the awarding body;
• The course is e-learning, with minimal tutor support. With LRI, tutor support is limited to 180 minutes for a whole course. Any more, and it is then “an opportunity to enrol for further support” and billed at £100/hour plus VAT! (Deltic students enjoy unlimited support).
• The courses via the “Academy” – even without any additional support - are considerably more expensive than studying the same courses via Deltic;
• The “Academy” is not an Accredited Centre of IQ (so presumably have not had to go through the quality checks, nor the costs of achieving AC status);
• There are two limited companies under the name “Learning Resources International Limited” on the Companies House website. One was dissolved in 2012, and the other incorporated on 31^st March 2015.

Deltic have always been happy with healthy competition (and indeed have worked with and supported students from other colleges). But in this case we feel that a decidedly un-level playing field has been created since the original IAM was obtained by a loss-making awarding body.

How truly independent of this awarding body the ‘academy’ is - or can be - remains to be seen.

For any students who enrol with the ‘academy’ we look forward to hearing of your experiences. And to welcoming you onboard with Deltic – specialists in Administrative Management courses since 2006 - at some later stage!