Overview

The Institute of Community Directors Australia (ICDA) is offering a Diploma of Governance designed for the board members of Australian not-for-profit boards and committees, and the CEOs and other senior staff who work alongside them.

ICDA is an enterprise of Our Community, which has been delivering high-quality, practical governance training and support for the Australian not-for-profit sector for more than two decades.

The ICDA Diploma of Governance began in 2014 as a VET-accredited course aligned to the Australian Qualifications Framework. In 2020, the Australian Skills Quality Authority decided to remove the course from the national curriculum, despite this being the only Diploma-level course specifically designed for the not-for-profit sector. The course is now accredited by ICDA, which is an Our Community enterprise that’s dedicated to meeting the real-world needs of the Australian not-for-profit sector. The fact that the course has its origins in the Australian Qualifications Framework but is now decoupled from it gives students access to the best of both worlds: assurance of the high quality of the course structure and content, without the rigidity or bureaucracy.

The training materials and assessments for this qualification have been developed by the Institute of Community Directors Australia, which also completes all training and assessments. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be issued with a certificate of completion from ICDA.

Both prospective and current members of boards are eligible for enrolment. Deep knowledge of a not-for-profit organisation is highly desirable.

Ready to progress your not-for-profit career? Part-scholarships are now available on a rolling basis for community leaders!

Hundreds of not-for-profit leaders now have the chance to win a part-scholarship to complete the acclaimed ICDA Diploma of Governance.

While we have offered scholarships in the past for Australia’s premier diploma-level governance qualification, currently we are able to offer more opportunities to more individuals across more sectors, providing a leg-up to the most under-represented groups in the country.

$1000 scholarships have been fast-tracked to allow prospective students to apply immediately for any of the following rounds, with decisions made on eligibility within 10 business days of submission.

While applications are rolling – and will remain open throughout the year – places in diploma courses are strictly limited, and scholarships are subject to terms and conditions.

The full cost of the Diploma is $4,500, comprising enrolment, assessment and administration. Scholarship recipients will need to arrange payment of the remaining fee of $3,500.

Course location

The ICDA Diploma of Governance is conducted online and available to students throughout Australia.

Who should apply

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
  • Advocacy
  • Arts governance
  • Board diversity
  • Climate action
  • Community health
  • Faith-based
  • Mental health support
  • Rural and regional
  • Sports governance
  • Treasurers
  • Women

Please feel free to apply for all of the rounds you identify with, where you meet the specific eligibility criteria outlined

Eligibility requirements

To be accepted for this course, you must:

  1. Complete the Course Application Statement, which will help ICDA gauge your motivation, interest, academic capacity, and English language skills, as well as your governance, community, business and/or life experience
  2. Have the time and motivation to participate fully and actively in all aspects of the course 
  3. Have the ability to engage with all components of the course, including access to a computer with a good internet connection and modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge etc) from the first day of the course
  4. Have a commitment to transferring knowledge gained to a not-for-profit/community organisation. 

Boards that are more diverse tend to be more effective. Therefore, it stands to reason we want this course to be inclusive, and for our students to reflect the broad spectrum of skills and backgrounds that are found across the Australian community. 

If you feel ICDA’s entry requirements present an unreasonable barrier to entry for you, call ICDA on 03 9320 6805 or email ICDA at [email protected]. ICDA will do our best to accommodate your request and help you achieve your goals.

More information

Have questions? For more information about ICDA’s Diploma of Governance part-scholarships, please click here. For program queries, please contact the Institute of Community Directors directly.

Applications for ICDA’s Diploma of Governance Part-Scholarships are offered on a rolling basis throughout the year.