Fellow of the ACCD
The cadres of individual membership in the Association are complimented by a corporate option which is reserved for institutions and vocational  education and training providers that display an outstanding contribution to the commercial diplomatic profession, system-wide practices and sector-specific services.

This senior category is open to highly-skilled, highly-competent and highly-influential practitioners who can satisfy council with substantial career progression and who can produce proven evidence of extensive research and development, advancement and significant experience in commercial diplomatic education, practice and service or activity that involves the promotion, protection, strengthening and safeguarding of the commercial diplomatic integrity and the advancement of commercial-judicial diplomatic practice.

Election
Candidates shall:

• have been invited ad personam by the Presidium

or

• have completed the QPA or registered for the QCD ‘Mandatory Qualifying Competency Programme,
• have been called to practice, subsequently accepted, admitted to practice, accredited and registered as ‘Accredited Commercial Diplomat’,

or

• have completed an acceptable related-relevant post-qualification, fellowship or PhD programme which must cover all the essentially required approved, authorised and recommended modules in the authorised courses that make up the Mandatory Qualifying Competency Programme,
• be a confirmed Accredited Commercial Diplomat,
• be or have been in employment (Senior Executive level) for an aggregate of at least seven years or more; and
• be willing and able to promote, contribute to, and actively support the mission-driven objectives of the professional body.

Fellows of ACCD safeguard, promote and protect the integrity of the Professional Body (The Association) and the profession of commercial diplomacy.

Fellow of the Commercial Diplomats

• targets highly-trained, highly-skilled young postgraduate practitioners who are completing or have recently completed their Ph.D. in international trade-related policy, commercial diplomacy or an acceptable field or discipline related-relevant to the specialization acceptable to the work of an accredited commercial diplomat or related-relevant to commercial-judicial diplomatic practice,
• has been the highest level of membership reserved for highly-experienced, highly-competent and highly-influential commercial diplomatic practitioners since its inception, building a strong pipeline of compassionate young postgraduate professionals  interested in a career in sustainable commercial-judicial diplomatic development as required in international trade-related policy and commercial-judicial diplomatic institutions, including governments, multinational corporations, intergovernmental bodies, diplomatic institutions, extraterritorial rules-based representative bodies, civil, public and foreign commercial diplomatic services and regulatory authorities and others,
• offers selected accomplished learned leaders the opportunity to apply for exemption from the MQCP and apply for the MQCE Examinations 

While having benefitted from advanced research and innovation in multiple sector-specific services, fellows will also have worked on other related-relevant research, international investment policy for development, technical assistance, and other activities and operations that contribute to the advancement and development of vision-specific goals of eliminating all acts of indiscipline vis a vis unauthorised practices, incompetency, unconscionable misconduct, unauthorised disclosure of information and confidentiality, mediocrity, complacency, blackmail and extortion, unusual and extraordinary threat to the integrity and reputation of the commercial diplomatic profession and corruption and increasing shared prosperity.

Full Eligibility Criteria

An individual shall be awarded Fellow as an acknowledgement of their valuable contribution to the standardization, harmonization, liberalization, modernization, internationalization, institutionalization, professionalization, extraterritorialization and better impactful regulation of the role of commercial diplomats and commercial diplomatic practice, and improvement of the commercial diplomatic sector and sector-specific services, the commercial diplomatic system and the strengthening of the innovation capability of the commercial diplomatic profession and system.

He or she should:

• be a recent Ph.D. graduate in International Trade Policy and WTO Law, International Trade Policy and Commercial Diplomacy, Commercial-Judicial Diplomacy, the Resolution, Settlement and Management of Disputes in International Trade, Investment and Commerce or other related-relevant sector-specific field more... 
• possess strong quantitative and analytical skills.

The acceptable contributions to international trade policy and commercial diplomacy should be for over several years, which should have been remarkable, having played an integral role in the commercial diplomatic sector-specific services.

The aspiring practitioner-candidates:

• should have gained hands-on experience in commercial-judicial diplomatic sector-specific services and industry-wide operations:

(This may include or have included knowledge generation and dissemination, designing of global and country trade, investment and commerce related policies and agreements or treaties, and the building of commercial diplomatic institutions to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth in developed, developing and or least-developed economies.)

• should have been hugely respected in the commercial diplomatic profession, system-wide practice, service and industry, and by clients, and been a fantastic team player, specially known their commitment to nurturing skills, skills-specific knowledge, specialism-based expertise, evidence-based proficiency and talent within their teams,
• should be, or have been nominated by a government, including of their country, and be a distinguished accomplished learned specialism-based related-relevant sector-specific services expert with a robust background in academia, government, and trade, investment and commerce related-relevant sector-specific policy,
• currently serves as head or senior-level official in an institution, where applicable a Professor of Practice in related-relevant field at an acceptable institution,
• his or her specialism-based expertise should lie in acceptable discipline, with his or her advanced research published in acceptable leading journals,
• his or her career should encompass significant contributions to both academia and civil, public-private and or foreign commercial diplomatic service,
• should have been involved in the co-founding of an acceptable platform for elevating related-relevant sector-specific services and discourse in their jurisdiction, country or region,
• where applicable, as a Minister or Secretary of State for Trade and Investment, Commerce and Industry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Maritime Affairs or Commercial Diplomatic Services, he or she should have spearheaded critical reforms for a period of time,
• his or her tenure should have included pivotal roles on a Board and or Chairman of a Council, where he or she should have played a key role, core function and value-added part in shaping their country's related-relevant sector-specific services policy,
• with a PhD in an acceptable related-relevant field from an acceptable institution and a deep commitment to the development, advancement, growth and enhancement of commercial diplomatic profession, system-wide practice, practice-oriented specialisms, sector-specific services and education,
• should have been recognized as one of the theirs country or region's top decision-makers and specialists in related-relevant field,
• should have continued to influence trade, investment, commerce or commercial diplomatic policy and education, leveraging his or her extensive experience in both vocational training-related comprehensive learning, academic institutions and governmental spheres,
• should bring, or have brought a unique blend of specialism-based expertise to his or her various related-relevant sector-specific roles, having served as a senior-level official with a successful specific commercial diplomatic role, and where possible, more recently as Minister or Secretary of State, Ambassador, Minister Plenipotentiary, Director General or equivalent,
• should be, or have been a truly outstanding practitioner-candidate, with his or her specialism-based expertise, competence, professionalism, commitment, passion and dedication to the development and advancement of commercial diplomacy and value-added function of commercial diplomats being able to enhance the commercial diplomatic profession, system-wide practice, relations and build meaningful cross-border cooperation and sustainable strategic collaborative partnerships,
• should be, or have been committed to bringing great honour, dignity and respect to the commercial diplomatic profession and practice, with distinction, excellence and merit on the global stage.

Specialties should include:

• International Trade Policy, 
• Theory and Practice of Commercial Diplomacy, 
• Institution Design and Building, 
• Higher Commercial Diplomatic Education and Leadership

Selection Process

• Phase I

Applicants will be notified of the status of their application

• Phase II:

Successful practitioner-candidates for Fellow shall be selected ad personam in consultation with the appropriate office of the Association, upon acceptance and completion of selection, and all successful candidates will be informed of their selection and acceptance of their application, including their membership status.

• Selected candidates shall then be notified and, upon acceptance, be confirmed as Fellow of the ACCD.

*Only those who have registered for or completed the qualifying courses

Benefits:

• Fellow Certificate and Card  
• Use of the protected letters 
• Continuing professional development and life-long learning 
• Membership of the Permanent Forum on Commercial Diplomacy
• Discounted admission to International Programmes and co-sponsored events 
• Up to 30% on all ACCD specialized programmes

Plus

• Letter of Recommendation, based upon candidate’s diligence, integrity and results in the qualifying courses
• *Only those who have registered for or completed the qualifying courses

Annual Subscription: £275.00

Membership Registration