To support the growing business demands related to IT governance, promote IT governance good practices and recognise skilled IT governance professionals, the nonprofit, international professional association ISACA has developed a new certification:  Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT).

Supported by the IT Governance Institute (ITGI) and built on ITGI's intellectual property and input from subject matter experts from around the world, the CGEIT designation focuses on the five areas of IT governance—strategic alignment, resource management, risk management, performance measurement and value delivery—as well as on frameworks that provide support for IT governance (e.g., COBIT and ITIL). It is designed for professionals who have a significant management, advisory or assurance role relating to the governance of IT and who wish to be recognised for their IT governance-related experience and knowledge.

"IT has become vital to the achievement of enterprise goals and delivery of benefits, and executives have realised that enterprise governance must be extended to IT as well," said Howard Nicholson, chair of the CGEIT Certification Board. "ISACA performed extensive research and determined that there is a sound business need for a certification that recognises expertise in the field of IT governance and helps enterprises identify and hire professionals who have IT governance knowledge and experience."

To earn the CGEIT certification, applicants must prove at least five years of experience supporting the governance of an enterprise's information technology and must pass the CGEIT exam. The first CGEIT exam will be administered in December 2008.