APM Group and EXIN sign agreement about Japanese translations ITIL® version 3
On February 15 2008 EXIN, the worldwide Examination Institute for Information Science, and APM Group signed an agreement stating EXIN will be translating examinations and sample examinations for ITIL® version 3 into the Japanese language. Initially EXIN Japan will start with the development of translations for the ITIL Foundation examination, followed by translated examinations for the ITIL Foundation Bridge examination, the Managers Bridge examination and later on the Capability examination. As a result of this agreement training providers are able to offer courses in Japanese and candidates can attend examinations for ITIL version 3 in their own language.
Pilot testing
In partnership with APM Group, EXIN Japan has recently started with the production of the translations for the ITIL version 3 Foundation examination questions, based on the Japanese version 3 glossary. After completion of the development phase, the newly translated Japanese examination versions are subject to a pilot, in the form of a realistic examination simulation with an actual group of examination candidates and training providers. The results of all exams are analyzed and evaluated by external experts who are members of the Japanese EXIN QA panel. After reviewing the new exams, the QA panel can recommend improvements to be made. APM Group, as the official owner of the new exams, will officially approve the exam material after this pilot. It is expected that the Japanese translation of the ITIL version 3 Foundation examinations becomes available at the end of April or early May 2008 at the latest.
Localization expertise
Since the opening of EXIN Japan in 2005, the demand for Japanese ITIL version 2 examinations on the existing levels: Foundation, Practitioner and Manager, has been growing steadily. EXIN Japan, with the help of its valuable external experts in the IT Service Management field, was able to customize the current V2 exams in IT Service Management to the requirements imposed by the Japanese market on IT professionals, regarding both content and language. Localizing the new ITIL version 3 examinations into the Japanese language is a logical next step.
Richard Pharro, CEO APM Group: 'It is the APM Group's mission to ensure ITIL is accessible to service managers around the world. Availability of examination materials in Japanese will make a significant difference to candidates in Japan wishing to attain ITIL V3 Certifications. We are pleased to be working with EXIN, which has a first class reputation, to deliver ITIL qualifications in Japanese.'
Joep van Nieuwstadt, CEO EXIN: 'As a global examination provider for IT professionals, offering exams in over 14 languages, we highly value this partnership with APM Group, thus ensuring the further dissemination of the new ITIL qualifications. We are looking forward to working together with APM Group and to developing the newly translated Japanese exams for ITIL version 3. We hope that our localization expertise will provide a valuable asset to the IT Service Management community in the Japanese region.'
Transferring from ITIL version 2 to ITIL version 3
Since the introduction of ITIL version 3 in June 2007, EXIN has been offering the English-language ITIL version 3 Foundation exams in English. In addition, two so-called Bridge exams were introduced in English, enabling candidates to transfer from ITIL version 2 to ITIL version 3. A version 3 Foundation Bridge examination is available for candidates who have obtained the ITIL Foundation version 2 certificate. Another bridge examination (Managers Bridge), is also available for candidates who are already certified for ITIL Service Manager (or for candidates who have obtained at least twelve credits based on Practitioner certificates).
Background
ITIL is a collection of best practices in the field of IT Service Management. ITIL version 3, the successor of ITIL version 2 was introduced in conjunction with the publication of the new ITIL literature at the end of May 2007. A new ITIL version 3 Qualification Scheme was introduced and new examinations have now been developed since the publication of the new literature. The new Qualification Scheme consists of four levels: Foundation, Intermediate (Lifecycle Stream & Capability Stream), ITIL Expert and an Advanced Diploma. The new ITIL literature now comprises five volumes: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement. The five volumes represent the different stages of the service lifecycle. Version 3 focuses on the Lifecycle Principle and not on the individual processes. The continuous improvement of the services occupies centre stage, and this is exactly what all companies ultimately want to achieve with the efficient design of the processes.
EXIN & IT Service Management
From the early 1990s, EXIN has been setting up the ITIL based certification program and has been developing and providing ITIL examinations worldwide at three different levels: Foundation, Practitioner and Manager. EXIN offers these ITIL exams worldwide and accredits ITIL trainers.
In 2006, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), a department of the UK Treasury which owns the ITIL trademark, decided to outsource both the management of the ITIL trademark and the accreditation of examination institutes to APMG. With the signing of a contract between APM Group and EXIN at the beginning of 2007, APM Group granted EXIN accreditation as an examination institute to offer the ITIL examination for version 3.
EXIN has a seat on the international Qualification Board, so that EXIN is involved in and keeps abreast of the development of the ITIL examination. Together with other examination institutes, TSO as the publisher of ITIL literature, itSMF International, OGC and a representative from the accredited ITIL trainers, EXIN has a say in determining the examination requirements and the examination.
About EXIN
EXIN (Examination Institute for Information Science) is an independent, worldwide IT examination provider with more than 40 years of experience. EXIN is specialized in establishing educational requirements and in developing exams for all major areas in IT. It is EXIN's mission to improve the quality of the IT sector, the IT professionals and the IT users, by means of independent testing and certification. EXIN achieves this goal by supporting the worldwide dissemination of certification standards and best practices in IT. With computerized and web-based exams for ITIL, ISO/IEC 20000, MOF, ASL, BiSL and TMap®, EXIN plays an important role in the development of international qualification programs. For more information: www.exin-exams.com/ www.exin.jp
