REGULATIONS FOR ASSOCIATESHIP AND CHARTERED MEMBERSHIP OF THE TEXTILE INSTITUTE

These Regulations were issued on 28 March 1984 and revised on 31 October 1990, 25 March 1995, 29 March 1996, 5 July 2011, 4 October2016 and 30 March 2017 by order of the Institute’s International governing Council, which is the sole authority for awarding the Associateship. The Council vests responsibility for making recommendations concerning the award of Associateship in the Professional Qualifications Committee, which consists of Chartered Members of the Institute from a wide range of industrial, academic and research organisations.

Associateship is covered by the European Union’s First Qualifications Directive (89/48/EEC)

Regulation 1: Membership

An applicant for the Associateship of The Textile Institute must be a member of The Textile Institute.

Retention of the Associateship is contingent upon remaining a member of The Textile Institute

Regulation 2: Depth of Knowledge

Applicants must provide evidence of having attained the required level of knowledge in accordance with one of the following routes:

Route A: have passed the prescribed ATI examinations;

Route B: hold a degree or other qualification accredited for ATI 

Route C: hold an appropriate degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline, with broad general
knowledge of textiles in related areas, i.e. upstream and downstream from specialism  

Route D: demonstrate specialist textile knowledge comparable to degree level, with broad general   
knowledge of textiles in related areas, i.e. upstream and downstream from specialism.

Regulation 3: Period of Professional Experience  

Applicants using Route A will normally have at least two years’ relevant experience after graduation.

Applicants using Route B will normally have at least two years’ relevant experience after graduation. In the case of accredited ‘sandwich’ courses, which incorporate work placement, the period may be reduced pro rata, according to the duration of the work placement.

Applicants using Route C will normally have at least five years’ relevant experience after graduation.

Applicants using Route D will normally have at least ten years’ relevant experience.

Regulation 4: Application and Fees

Applicants must complete the ATI application form supplied by The Textile Institute and return it with the appropriate application fee and copies of any certificates providing evidence of having attained the level of knowledge required under Regulation 2.

The Institute reserves the right to seek verification of an applicant’s qualifications.

Successful applicants will also be required to pay the prescribed registration fee. (Note: fees, which are listed on a separate sheet, cover administrative costs and are not refundable.)

Regulation 5: Referees

Applicants must give the name of a senior work colleague who will be approached for a reference.

Applicants using routes (c) and (d) must also give the names of two other people who would be prepared to act as confidential referees. They should preferably be Chartered members of the Institute (Associates or Fellows) and must not be current work colleagues.

Regulation 6: Interview

An applicant for the award of Associateship may be required to attend an interview with a panel of Chartered members appointed by the Institute. Arrangements will be made wherever possible for candidates to be interviewed in their home country.

Regulation 7: Issue of the Associateship Certificate

A certificate of Associateship is prepared after the prescribed fees have been paid. Associates are entitled to describe themselves as Chartered members of The Textile Institute and to use the designatory letters CText ATI after their name.

Notes

1.	Attainment Criteria

The relevance of academic, industrial or commercial attainment will be judged according to the extent that it involves the application of professional skills in natural sciences, engineering, management sciences, design relating to production methods, materials or product performance, or the commercial or industrial operation of the textiles manufacturing or distribution industry.

Committee work within or outside The Textile Institute is not a factor for consideration.

Continuing professional development (CPD) activity may be used to support an application but does not in itself give entitlement to an award.