Grading Criteria
To become an Associate Fellow or Fellow of AIM you need to meet a set of criteria as outlined below.
A grading committee will assess your application and you will then be notified to the outcome and the appropriate annual membership fee.
Please note, for specialist, consultant or advisory roles, additional information may be necessary. Please call the Membership department on (03) 9534 8181 for more details.
Grading criteria – Associate Fellow
The grade of Associate Fellow is open to those who have a record of proven management achievement over a period of five years or more in a senior management position, such as:
- A chief executive, general manager or senior functional manager, who delegates authority to several other persons holding positions which require management skills of at least Member level, or
- A specialist position requiring management and entrepreneurial skills, the exercise of which has a substantial impact on the overall operations of the organisation.
The required period of proven management achievement may be reduced by up to two years, dependent on credits gained through holding approved educational qualifications appropriate to this level of management. Such qualification credits include;
- Applicants holding a University/CAE Degree or Diploma in management/business studies or in a discipline appropriate to the applicant’s management work (or other equivalent courses of study in management, as approved by AIM) may receive a two year credit against the required years of proven management achievement.
- Applicants holding post graduate qualifications in management/business studies may gain a further credit of one or two years against the required years of experience.
- Education credits may also apply in respect of other relevant qualifications including AIM courses (up to one year) and TAFE Certificates or Diplomas in management/business (normally one year).
The cost of an Associate Fellow membership is $320 plus a once-off $99 application fee. You will only be charged the application fee up front. An invoice for your membership fee will be mailed to you, once the application has been processed.
Grading criteria – Fellow
The grade of Fellow is open to those who have a record of proven management achievement over a period of six years or more in a general executive management position, such as:
- Chief executive or group/chief general manager of an organisation of such complexity as to require the delegation of authority to staff of at least Associate Fellow level, or
- Divisional, regional or state general manager in an organisation of such complexity as to require the delegation of authority to staff at Associate Fellow level, or
- A senior specialist in a particular field, providing advice of a highly significant nature, to general executive management in an organisation of such complexity as to require the delegation of authority to staff at Fellow level.
The required period of proven management achievement may be reduced by up to two years, dependent on credits gained through holding approved educational qualifications appropriate to this level of management. Such qualification credits include;
- Applicants holding a University/CAE Degree or Diploma in management/business studies or in a discipline appropriate to the applicant’s management work (or other equivalent courses of study in management, as approved by AIM) may receive a two year credit against the required years of proven management achievement.
- Applicants holding post graduate qualifications in management/business studies may gain a further credit of one or two years against the required years of experience.
- Education credits may also apply in respect of other relevant qualifications including AIM courses (up to one year) and TAFE Certificates or Diplomas in management/business (normally one year).
The cost of a Fellow membership is $370 plus a once-off $99 application fee. You will only be charged the application fee up front. An invoice for your membership fee will be mailed to you, once the application has been processed.
Membership criteria – Student
Applicants for student membership with AIM must show evidence that they are in full time study (student card, enrolment notice or a University reference). You may apply for a student membership online, and membership will be activated as soon as evidence of full-time study and the membership fee has been received.
General Membership criteria for all members
Personal qualities
All applicants for membership must be of good character and may be required to supply character references sufficient to verify their suitability as a member of AIM.
AIM compared to other membership organisations
Gradings and grading criteria differ for all professional associations. A specific grading in another association does not necessarily warrant a similar grading in AIM, where criteria is focused on the management content of job positions rather than technical knowledge and expertise.
Management experience
For practising managers, primary consideration is given to the level of responsibility as prescribed in position descriptions and other supporting documentation which may be required to be supplied with membership applications. Details of the organisation in terms of type of industry, its period of operation with relevant statistics of growth and development, numbers of employees and/or annual turnover may also be needed also support the assessment of your management experience.
Specialist experience
In specialist positions not directly involved in line management, consideration will be given to the nature and complexity of the type of advice given, and the level of management or organisations to which the advice has been given, together with proven results.
Business owners
An owner/manager who has practised a high degree of management and entrepreneurship and has initiated, established and developed a successful business; and has been recognised in the community as a leader in their particular field over a period of time may be eligible for membership at the Associate Fellow level. In the public sector, supporting information, such as position ranking or classification, should be supplied by personnel in the Armed Services, Police Force, Senior Executive Service and other Government funded/subsidised organisations or institutions.
Other interests
AIM may take into account other interests such as service to AIM; contribution to the profession of management by teaching, publishing or other relevant activity; service to the community; membership of other associations; or achievement of special recognition by making a distinguished contribution to the management profession.