About the WINS Academy
Why did we establish the WINS Academy?
Professional certifications earned through accredited testing services are one of the best ways to assess an individual’s level of knowledge, skill and experience. Consequently, the requirement to undergo professional development and certification has long played a crucial role in such professions as law, medicine, insurance and information technology.
Professional societies use certification to benchmark and improve the quality and relevance of a profession, employers seek out credentialed professionals, and government agencies and licensing bodies often mandate certification to practice.
In the nuclear industry, certifications are often required of individuals employed in nuclear safety; until now, however, the same has not been true of nuclear security management. We created the WINS Academy to address this need.
What gives WINS the credibility to establish the WINS Academy?
Since our founding in September 2008, we have established ourselves as a vital contributor in the international effort to implement effective nuclear security practices.
In the process, we have become leaders in the identification and sharing of nuclear security best practices, and tangible improvements to security procedures have already resulted from our efforts. In all of our surveys conducted to date, the vast majority of our members have consistently stated that they have modified their approach to security management because of their interaction with WINS.
How does the WINS Academy programme work?
We offer a fundamentals programme for individuals new to nuclear security and a range of specialisation programmes for individuals wishing to broaden their understanding of specific aspects of nuclear security. All our programmes can be completed online or offline and, for individuals wanting formal recognition of their achievement, a proctored exam can be taken either at a testing centre (at over 180 global locations) or online. Successful learners will receive a WINS Academy Certificate and Digital Credential as a Certified Nuclear Security fundamentals Professional (CNSfP) or as a Certified Nuclear Security specialised Professional (CNSsP).
How can I learn more about the WINS Academy certification programme?
If you have further questions about the WINS Academy or would like to learn more, please email us at: academy@wins.org.
Purchases and Scholarships
Are scholarships available?
Yes, scholarships are available for women as part of the WINS Gender Champions Programme and for selected male participants who come from certain countries and have specific responsibilities for nuclear security or radioactive source security related to the certification programme. (Note that the selection of eligible participants is entirely at WINS’ discretion and that only WINS members are eligible to apply.)
What is a corporate purchaser?
A corporate purchaser is an individual from an organisation or company that wishes to buy WINS Academy programmes for other individuals and has the purchasing authority and ability to pay with a company credit card.
How do I become a corporate purchaser?
Any WINS Member can become a corporate purchaser if they have purchasing authority from their company. Simply contact WINS via the Contact Button at the bottom of the Academy webpage and request ‘Corporate Purchase’ be added to your WINS Member profile. This can be removed at any time by request. Once you have been notified by the WINS Academy, you can select the programme or programmes that are required for individuals within your company on the WINS Academy purchase page. You will receive tokens for each programme purchased that you may distribute from your Member Dashboard. To distribute them, open the modules tab and insert the individuals’ email addresses. The individuals will receive instructions to use the tokens to confirm and start their assigned programmes.
Certification and Renewal
What are the benefits of WINS certification?
Becoming a CNSfP or a CNSsP demonstrates your knowledge of nuclear security or radioactive source security, helps prepare you to address professional challenges, and demonstrates your commitment to certified training.
Having the CNSfP or CNSsP designation will help to distinguish you from your peers. You are able to share Digital Credentials (Badges) that you have been awarded with your peers, colleagues, employer and prospective employers. The designation gives you professional credibility, earns you recognition within the workplace, increases your earning potential, strengthens your job marketability, and gives you greater job mobility. Revalidating your CNSfP or your CNSsP designation will ensure that your knowledge and expertise continue to grow. It will also demonstrate that you have discipline and self-motivation and are dedicated to your profession.
What are Digital Credentials (Badges)?
Digital credentials provide readily accessible digital visual representations of competencies earned through learning. WINS is introducing different types of Badges that can be awarded; for certification programmes, for training courses and for roles held by WINS members (e.g. WINS Ambassador, WINS Alumni). Badge holders will be able to share their credentials with others, so they too can recognise your accomplishments.
Is recertification required?
Yes. Each certification, whether CNSfP or CNSsP, requires revalidation every five years.
I am currently a certified CNSP or CRSP. Can I recertify and renew my professional status before my certification expires?
Yes! We encourage our WINS Alumni to consider renewing their certified professional status at least 12 months in advance of their recertification expiration in order to ensure they have sufficient time to complete a new learning module or the Continued Certification Assessment form. WINS automatically prompts alumni to consider recertification at that time. We ask that you keep your Member Dashboard profile and email up to date to continue to receive correspondence from WINS.
I have recently earned my certification. Can I apply for a scholarship to recertify and renew my professional status before my recertification expires?
Yes! We recommend that you apply for a recertification scholarship at least 12 months before your professional status expires (after five years currently). The options to recertify are provided in our Recertification Guide.
WINS Alumni and Ambassadors
What is the WINS Alumni Network?
All participants who have successfully received their CNSfP or CNSsP (as well those who earned the previous designation as CNSP or CRSP) are invited to join the WINS Alumni Network. Those who do so receive their own dashboard page on the WINS website, giving them easy access to all WINS information. This includes their personal information about the modules they have studied and passed, the progress they are making toward recertification, access to the latest news and events, and the complete library of information in the Knowledge Centre. This platform also gives alumni the ability to network with other CNSPs from around the world, contribute their knowledge and expertise to others, and participate in ongoing learning opportunities created especially for them.
What is the WINS Ambassador Programme?
WINS Academy Ambassadors are a group of selected Academy Alumni (both CNSfP and CNSsP, as well those who earned the previous designation as CNSP or CRSP) who have the support of their organisations to promote the WINS Academy Programme within their organisation, their country and their region.
Questions about the Programme Change
Why has WINS made changes to the certification programmes?
We want to give all learners a consistent and fair way of attaining certification. Now learners can achieve Certified Nuclear Security Professional status through all module programmes by passing one exam. Previously learners who undertook the CNSP programme had to pass two exams. We have not changed the rigour and the quality requirements for programme modules and exams.
We also want to give learners more flexibility to decide where to start, taking either the Foundation Module to achieve the Certified Nuclear Security fundamentals Professional (CNSfP) designation or selecting any specialisation module to achieve the Certified Nuclear Security specialised Professional (CNSsP) designation.
Additionally we encourage all successful learners to join the WINS Alumni network and continue to broaden their professional development in nuclear security through further engagement in events, workshops and discussions as well as WINS Academy learning modules, building a portfolio of competencies for the future.
Will WINS still offer the CRSP/CNSP programme going forward?
No, from now on our programmes will be linked to the Certified Nuclear Security fundamentals Professional (CNSfP) and Certified Nuclear Security specialised Professional (CNSsP) designations. The CRSP module will still be available as a specialisation.
Questions for Current Learners
I am currently an active WINS Academy learner in the CNSP programme. I have taken no exams or one exam to date. What happens to my programme?
If you have already passed one of the two exams required for the CNSP programme, you will also receive your certification in the new format, either CNSfP for the Foundation Module or CNSsP for an elective module. You can find this stored in your Member Dashboard under the View Modules menu.
For the second module, please continue as normal and schedule your exam(s) before your programme expires. On passing the exam, you will receive your certification in the new format.
I am currently an active WINS Academy learner in the CRSP programme. I have not yet taken the exam. What happens to my programme?
Please continue as normal and schedule your exam before your programme expires. On passing the exam, you will receive your certification in the new CNSsP format.
Questions for WINS Alumni
I am currently a certified CNSP or CRSP. Can I keep my current designation going forward?
Yes, your designation as a CNSP or CRSP will remain valid until your certification expires. (WINS Academy certification remains valid for five years.) Your CNSP or CRSP certificate is stored in your Member Dashboard under the View Modules menu. This provides a historical record of your achievements. We recommend that you download a copy of all WINS Academy certificates you hold.
When you renew your WINS Academy certified professional status, you will receive your certification in the new format.
I am currently a certified CNSP / CRSP. Will I receive certificates in the new CNSfP / CNSsP format?
Yes! You will be provided with certificates in the new CNSfP / CNSsP formats for modules in which your certification is still valid. (WINS Academy certification remains valid for five years.) The original certification dates and validity will remain the same. You will be required to recertify to renew and maintain your professional status as normal.
Your new certificate will be stored in your Member Dashboard under the View Modules menu. We recommend that you download a copy of all WINS Academy certificates you hold.
I have recently earned my certification. Can I take additional learning modules to broaden my knowledge about different aspects of nuclear security?
Yes! We fully encourage our WINS Alumni to continue their professional development in nuclear security, at both a fundamentals and specialisation level. This can be done with a scholarship or purchased courses. Scholarships are available for broadening into new specialisations and certification renewal (when required), and approval will be subject to WINS having appropriate funding at the time of application. Alumni can also apply for a discounts to purchase additional modules.
