Practical, CMI-accredited courses for managers leading AI adoption and change.
Sharper skills for stronger futures
Practical, business-focused training that helps managers lead AI adoption with confidence, backed by Smart Training and Recruitment's quality pedigree.
Managers and leaders responsible for AI adoption and organisational change.
Flexible remote learning with one-to-one tutor support tailored to the learner's job role, plus guided e-learning and live virtual workshops.
Built for the people responsible for making AI work in practice.
Whether you're leading adoption within a team or driving transformation across an organisation, there's a qualification designed for your level of responsibility.
First-line managers & supervisors
For managers responsible for helping teams adopt AI successfully.
Middle managers & leaders
For leaders responsible for organisational AI adoption and transformation.
SmartEdge equips managers with the skills, confidence and practical tools to lead teams through change and deliver meaningful impact in the workplace.
Every course is assessed against Chartered Management Institute standards, giving your managers a recognised professional qualification.
Managers work on real workplace challenges throughout the course, putting new skills into practice from day one.
Monthly live workshops combine tutor support, practical insight and peer learning with managers from other organisations.
Fully online delivery means learning can fit around operational demands, with no travel or time away for classroom attendance.
Develop managers together so they share the same language, tools and approach to leading people, change and AI adoption.
Choose an Award, Certificate or Diploma depending on the depth of learning and budget that best meets your needs.
Put the learning into practice with our AI Implementation Toolkit, included at no extra cost. See what's included →
We agree which qualification(s), which level (Award, Certificate or Diploma) and group size for your organisation.
Your managers receive full access to learning materials, workshops and one-to-one tutor support from day one.
Structured learning supported by practical activities linked directly to your organisation's AI adoption and management challenges.
Assessed against recognised CMI standards, leading to a CMI-accredited qualification and managers better equipped to lead AI adoption in practice.
Tell us about your organisation, your managers and your AI adoption goals. We'll help you identify the right qualification and group structure.
The tools are already in your organisation. Ensure your managers are ready to lead them.
Talk to us about your teamCMI-accredited qualifications for managers leading AI adoption and organisational transformation.
For first-line managers & supervisors
For managers responsible for helping teams adopt AI successfully.
Build the capability to lead AI adoption within your team, manage change confidently and support responsible AI use in day-to-day operations.
For middle managers & leaders
For leaders responsible for organisational AI adoption and transformation.
Build the capability to lead organisational AI transformation, establish governance and demonstrate real business value.
How delivery works, from first conversation to certified managers.
We agree which qualification(s), which level (Award, Certificate or Diploma) and group size for your organisation.
Your managers receive full access to learning materials, workshops and one-to-one tutor support from day one.
Structured learning supported by practical activities linked directly to your organisation's AI adoption and management challenges.
Assessed against recognised CMI standards, leading to a CMI-accredited qualification and managers better equipped to lead AI adoption in practice.
Tell us about your managers and we'll help you identify the most appropriate qualification and level.
Talk to us about your teamEvery SmartEdge course is a CMI-accredited qualification, studied online with one-to-one tutor support. Individuals can enrol online and start at any time, while employers can access team pricing for five or more staff.
Managers are being asked to lead AI-driven change, often without the training to do it confidently. SmartEdge qualifications provide the practical skills and recognised accreditation to bridge that gap.
For first-line managers & supervisors
per learner, including VAT (£812.50 + VAT)
per learner, including VAT (£1,500 + VAT)
per learner, including VAT (£3,000 + VAT)
Enrol and start at any time. Two-hour live online workshops run twice a month, on the first Tuesday and the second Thursday from 10am to 12pm, so the learner can choose the date that suits them. They're optional but recommended, and learners book their place through the learning platform. The first workshops run in December 2026.
For middle managers & leaders
Fees will be published here when enrolment opens.
Two ways to train a team, both invoiced to your organisation. Tell us how many people and which course, and we'll send you a quote.
Reduced per-learner pricing when you book five or more places.
A private course delivered only for your organisation, with examples shaped around how your business works.
Tell us your numbers and which course suits your managers.
We'll come back to you with your group price.
Your organisation pays by invoice. No card payments needed.
Each learner gets their login and can start straight away.
Tell us how many staff and which course. We'll invoice your organisation directly, and reduced per-learner pricing applies when you book five or more places.
Choose your course, fill in a short enrolment form and pay securely by card through Stripe. There are no fixed start dates: you'll get your course login by email and can start straight away.
Prices are per learner and include VAT at the standard rate. Your price includes 5 years' access to your course, the same length of time CMI gives learners to complete their qualification. If you're buying as an individual, you have 14 days to cancel. If you start your course within those 14 days, we may charge for the part you've used. Full details are in our cancellation and refund policy and terms and conditions.
For managers responsible for helping teams adopt AI successfully. Build the confidence and capability to lead change, guide responsible AI use, manage risk and support day-to-day adoption across your team.
Built for:First-line managers & supervisors
Level 3 helps managers lead AI adoption within teams.
Study for an Award, Certificate or Diploma depending on how far your managers go.
| Qualification | Units | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Award | 1 | 7 |
| Certificate | 2 | 13 |
| Diploma | 6 | 41 |
And what managers will be able to do as a result.
Put the learning into practice with our AI Implementation Toolkit, included at no extra cost.
See what's included →For leaders responsible for turning AI ambition into organisational change. Build the capability to lead AI adoption across teams, establish governance, manage change and demonstrate organisational impact.
Built for:Middle managers & leaders
Level 5 helps leaders drive AI transformation across organisations.
Study for an Award, Certificate or Diploma depending on how far your leaders go.
| Qualification | Units | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Award | 1 | 5 |
| Certificate | 2 | 13 |
| Diploma | 5 | 37 |
And what managers will be able to do as a result.
Put the learning into practice with our AI Implementation Toolkit, included at no extra cost.
See what's included →SmartEdge is the short course academy of Smart Training and Recruitment, an established UK training and apprenticeship provider with over two decades of delivery expertise.
Most organisations have already invested in AI. Far fewer have built the management capability needed to adopt it consistently, responsibly and effectively.
That's why SmartEdge exists.
The technology is evolving quickly. Management capability needs to keep pace.
SmartEdge helps organisations build the knowledge, confidence and leadership capability needed to adopt AI successfully and responsibly.
years' quality pedigree
CMI-accredited qualifications
CMI-accredited pathway
Explore our parent company's apprenticeship and training provision.
Not sure which level is right? We'll help you identify the best route for your managers and leaders.
We'll be in touch shortly to discuss the right course. In the meantime, feel free to email us directly at askus@smartedgetraining.com.
Call us on 01983 475006 and we'll help you identify the right route for your managers.
Included at no extra cost alongside every CMI qualification. The qualification shows a manager is ready to lead AI adoption. The toolkit gives them the chance to try it for real.
Sharper skills for stronger futures
The toolkit gives them the chance to measure what happened.
Designed to help learners move beyond qualification achievement and apply AI in the workplace.
The toolkit is a separate online course that sits alongside the qualification. It doesn't affect achieving the CMI qualification.
Practise on real workplace tasks in four hands-on labs, then take away ready-to-use templates: an AI Use Checklist and a Human Review Checklist on the Award, plus an AI Risk Assessment and a Responsible AI Policy Template on the Certificate.
The Diploma, plus the opportunity to pilot and measure AI in the workplace, included at no extra cost.
Understanding of AI in the workplace, and a written proposal for one technology.
The Award, plus knowledge of AI risks, legal frameworks and how to check AI outputs.
The full qualification: leading teams, stakeholder communication, data and culture, all assessed through written work.
Microsoft Copilot is the main worked example, and the labs work with any AI tool the employer approves.
The Award includes two templates. The Certificate and Diploma include all four.
The toolkit may help the learner with evidence for their assignments.
Alongside the Diploma, there is the opportunity to pilot and measure AI in the workplace. Here's how a 30-day pilot works.
Choose a real workplace process and agree the pilot with the employer.
Run the pilot for 30 days.
Record what happened, with every figure labelled as measured or estimated.
Write an Impact Report and a one-page summary for the employer.
The pilot needs the employer's agreement. If that isn't possible, the learner can still complete the labs and templates and earn the Silver badge.
The qualification prepares a manager for when their organisation does adopt it.
Recognises completion of the toolkit on the Award.
Recognises completion of the toolkit on the Certificate.
Recognises a completed workplace pilot on the Diploma. Diploma learners who can't run a pilot can still earn Silver.
Badges recognise completion of the toolkit. They're issued by SmartEdge, are separate from CMI assessment, and aren't a Microsoft certification. The toolkit isn't mandatory or legislative training, and it isn't Microsoft-endorsed training, although Microsoft tools are used for worked examples.
Every course includes the toolkit at no extra cost. Tell us about your team and we'll send you the full employer briefing, or explore the courses.
Thank you. Your payment has gone through, and Stripe has emailed your receipt.
Not received your login? Check your junk folder, or email askus@smartedgetraining.com.
Last updated: October 2026. Next review: October 2027.
SmartEdge is a trading name of Smart Training and Recruitment Limited, registered in England and Wales, company number 04735396. Our registered office is Suite 18, Mill Court Business Centre, Furrlongs, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2AA. VAT number GB 154 3220 43.
In these terms, “we” and “us” means SmartEdge. “You” means the person enrolling on a course or, for an employer booking, the organisation paying for it. “The learner” means the person taking the course.
You can contact us at askus@smartedgetraining.com or on 01983 475006.
These terms apply when you enrol on a SmartEdge course through our website, or when an employer books places for its staff. By ticking the box on the enrolment form, you agree to them. Please read them before you pay, and keep a copy.
If you are buying as an individual, you have legal rights as a consumer. Nothing in these terms takes those rights away.
Our courses are for adults aged 18 or over. When you enrol, you confirm that the information you give us is correct. We use it to register the learner with CMI (the Chartered Management Institute), the awarding body for our courses, so it must be accurate.
We may decline an enrolment if we reasonably believe the course isn’t right for the learner. If we do, we will refund you in full.
You enrol and pay using the enrolment form on our website. Payments are processed securely by Stripe — we never see or store your full card number.
The price is the one shown on the enrolment form when you pay. Prices include VAT. The price covers the course, one-to-one tutor support, the monthly online workshops, the AI Implementation Toolkit, and registration and certification with CMI.
Your contract with us starts when your payment is confirmed. Stripe emails you a receipt, and we email the learner their login details for the SmartEdge learning platform within one working day.
Employers can book places for several members of staff. These terms apply to employer bookings with the changes below. As a business, an employer does not have the 14-day cancellation right in section 10.
You are responsible for making sure each learner you nominate is aged 18 or over, and for passing these terms on to them. We email the employer when each learner enrols, and again when they achieve their qualification, as our privacy notice explains. We don’t share their progress or results in between.
We register each learner with CMI after they enrol, usually within the first 14 days. Once we have registered a learner, the CMI registration fee has been paid to CMI on their behalf and can’t be refunded.
The learner can start as soon as they receive their login. There are no fixed start dates, and they can work at their own pace.
The learner has access to the learning platform for 5 years from the date we send their login, which is the same length of time CMI gives learners to complete their qualification.
Logins are personal to the learner and must not be shared.
We run optional online workshops each month and give one-to-one tutor support throughout the course. Workshops are recommended but aren’t required to complete the course. We may change workshop dates or tutors when we need to, and will give as much notice as we can.
The learner is assessed against CMI’s requirements. When they successfully complete their assessments, CMI issues their certificate. We can’t guarantee a pass — that depends on the learner’s work meeting CMI’s standards.
All work submitted must be the learner’s own. The learner may use AI tools where an assessment allows it, but must say how they used them. Work that breaks CMI’s rules on malpractice may be rejected, and CMI may withhold the certificate.
If you bought as an individual, you can cancel within 14 days of your payment being confirmed, for any reason. Email askus@smartedgetraining.com and we will refund you within 14 days of hearing from you, to the card you paid with.
After 14 days, we don’t give refunds, but you can transfer or upgrade under section 11.
If we cancel. If we have to cancel a course or can’t provide it, we will refund you in full for anything you haven’t received.
Employer bookings are covered by section 5.
Once per enrolment, free of charge, you can:
Work already completed counts towards the bigger course where CMI’s rules allow. Email askus@smartedgetraining.com to arrange either.
The learner must give accurate information, keep their login private, treat tutors and other learners with respect in workshops, and follow CMI’s rules on assessment. We may suspend access if a learner seriously or repeatedly breaks these rules, after first telling them why.
All course materials, including the AI Implementation Toolkit, belong to us or our licensors. The learner may use them for their own learning and in their own job. They must not copy, share, sell or publish them, or use them to train others.
We may update course content to keep it current, or to meet CMI’s requirements. We won’t make changes that significantly reduce what you paid for. If a change does affect you significantly, you can cancel and we will refund you for the part you haven’t received.
We provide our courses with reasonable care and skill. We are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of us breaking these terms or failing to use reasonable care and skill.
We are not responsible for loss that wasn’t foreseeable, for business losses (such as lost profit or lost opportunity), or for delays caused by events outside our reasonable control. Our total liability to you is limited to the price you paid for the course. Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything else the law doesn’t allow us to limit.
If something isn’t right, please tell us at askus@smartedgetraining.com and we will aim to reply within 10 working days. If you are unhappy with an assessment decision, you can appeal through our appeals process, and then to CMI. Our complaints and appeals procedure at smartedgetraining.com/complaints explains how.
Our privacy notice at smartedgetraining.com/privacy explains how we use your information. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and any dispute will be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can also bring a claim in your local courts.
We will review these terms periodically and update them as required. The current review date is shown in the footer.
Last updated: October 2026. Next review: October 2027.
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| You cancel within 14 days and the learner hasn’t started | Full refund |
| You cancel within 14 days and the learner has started | Refund, minus the CMI registration fee (if we’ve registered the learner) and a fair amount for the part of the course already provided |
| You cancel after 14 days | No refund, but you can transfer the place or upgrade once, free of charge |
| We cancel, or can’t provide the course | Full refund for anything you haven’t received |
| Employer bookings (voucher codes) | Non-refundable, but unused codes can go to any member of staff for 12 months |
If you bought a course as an individual, you can cancel within 14 days of your payment being confirmed, for any reason. This is your legal right as a consumer.
To cancel, email askus@smartedgetraining.com with your name, the course and the date you paid. You can use the model cancellation form in section 10, but you don’t have to — a clear email is enough. As long as you send it before the 14 days are up, you are within time.
When the learner logs in and starts within the 14 days, you are asking us to begin providing the course straight away. You can still cancel within the 14 days, but you will pay for what has already been provided.
In that case, we refund what you paid, minus the CMI registration fee if we have already registered the learner (see section 6), and a fair amount for the part of the course already provided, based on the units the learner has started.
After 14 days, we don’t give refunds. Instead, you can transfer the place or upgrade under section 5. If something has gone wrong with the course itself, please talk to us — your consumer rights still apply, and we will always try to put things right.
Once per enrolment, free of charge, you can:
Work already completed counts towards the bigger course where CMI’s rules allow. Email askus@smartedgetraining.com to arrange either.
We register each learner with CMI, the awarding body for our courses, usually within the first 14 days. Once we have registered a learner, the registration fee has been paid to CMI on their behalf and can’t be refunded. If you cancel before we register the learner, it is refunded in full.
When an employer books and pays for places, the employer is buying as a business, so the 14-day right to cancel in section 2 doesn’t apply.
If we have to cancel a course, or can’t provide it, we will refund you in full for anything you haven’t received. If we make a change that significantly affects what you paid for, you can cancel and we will refund you for the part you haven’t received.
If you cancel, we refund you within 14 days of the day you tell us, to the card you paid with. If we agree a refund for any other reason, we refund within 14 days of agreeing it. You won’t pay any fee for the refund. For employer bookings, we refund by bank transfer or credit note.
If you’d like to use it, copy the text below into an email to askus@smartedgetraining.com.
To SmartEdge (Smart Training and Recruitment Limited), Suite 18, Mill Court Business Centre, Furrlongs, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2AA. I hereby give notice that I cancel my contract for the following course: [course name]. Paid on: [date]. Name: [your name]. Address: [your address]. Date: [today’s date].
If you have a question about a refund, or you’re unhappy with how we’ve handled one, email askus@smartedgetraining.com or call 01983 475006. We aim to reply within 10 working days. Our complaints and appeals procedure at smartedgetraining.com/complaints explains how. Our terms and conditions at smartedgetraining.com/terms set out the full agreement.
We will review this policy periodically and update it as required. The current review date is shown in the footer.
Last updated: October 2026. Next review: October 2027.
SmartEdge is the short course academy and a trading name of Smart Training and Recruitment Limited, registered in England and Wales, company number 04735396. Our registered office is Suite 18, Mill Court Business Centre, Furrlongs, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2AA.
Smart Training and Recruitment Limited is the data controller for your learner information. That means we decide what information is collected and why.
This notice covers your time as a learner: your account on our learning platform at moodle.smartedgetraining.com, your workshops, your assessments and your certification. Our website privacy notice covers enquiries, paying online and the cookies on our main website.
When you enrol and pay, we use the details you gave us to create your account on the learning platform.
| What we hold | Why we hold it |
|---|---|
| Your name and email address | To create your account, let you log in and send you course messages |
| Your employer’s name | To keep your learner record accurate and, where your employer is paying, to place you in the right group |
| Your name as it should appear on your certificate, your date of birth and your personal email address, which you give us on the enrolment form | To register you with CMI so you can be certified |
| Your SmartEdge learner ID | To identify your record with us and with CMI |
| Your username and password | To keep your account secure. Your password is stored in scrambled (hashed) form, so nobody at SmartEdge can read it |
| A profile picture and anything you add to your profile (optional) | So your tutor and group can recognise you. You choose whether to add these |
Your first course on the platform is your learner induction. It includes your initial assessment, a skills scan and your Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
| What we hold | Why we hold it |
|---|---|
| Your answers to the initial assessment and skills scan | To check the qualification is right for you and agree your starting point |
| Your Individual Learning Plan | To plan your learning and track your progress against it |
| Your answers to “Tell us what you need” (optional) | To plan any support or reasonable adjustments you need for learning and assessment (see “Information about your health or learning needs” below) |
| What we hold | Why we hold it |
|---|---|
| Which activities you have completed and when | To show you and your tutor how far through each unit you are, and to unlock your next unit when you finish the induction |
| Your answers in interactive activities and quizzes | To give you feedback and check your understanding |
| Your assignments, including any resubmissions | To assess your work against CMI’s requirements |
| Your tutor’s feedback and your result (Pass or Refer) | To record your assessment decision and support you to resubmit if needed |
| A history of changes to your results | To show how and when a result was changed, for quality assurance |
| Notes your tutor records about your progress | To support you and keep an accurate record. You can ask to see these notes |
| Anything you post in forums, the glossary or comments, and messages you send | To let you learn with your tutor and group, and share ideas with other learners on your course |
| Entries in your blog (optional) | Your blog is a private space for reflection. Only you can see it. If you want to share an idea with others, use your course forum instead |
| Digital badges you earn | To recognise your progress. If you choose to send a badge to an external badge backpack, that service holds a copy under its own privacy notice |
You book your workshops through Microsoft Bookings and join them on Microsoft Teams.
| What we hold | Why we hold it |
|---|---|
| Your name, email address and the workshop you booked | To confirm your place and send you the joining link |
| Whether you attended | To keep your learning record accurate |
| A recording of the workshop, including your name, anything you say or type in the chat and your video if your camera is on | So tutors can check what was covered and our quality team can check the quality of delivery. Recordings are stored in our Microsoft 365 SharePoint and only tutors and quality assurance managers can open them. You can keep your camera off if you prefer |
Like most learning platforms, ours keeps a record (a log) each time you view a page or complete an action. Each entry includes the date and time, what you did, and your Internet Protocol (IP) address, which identifies your internet connection. We use these logs to help if something goes wrong, to keep the platform secure and to confirm your progress if there is ever a question about it.
We do not use these logs to build a profile of you or to make automated decisions about you. We never sell your information.
We use Microsoft 365 Copilot for a first-line review of your assignments. It checks your work against CMI’s assessment criteria and highlights points for your tutor to look at. Your tutor uses the licensed version of Copilot, signed in with their SmartEdge work account, which means:
Copilot never marks your work and does not make any decision about you. Your tutor reads your full assignment, checks anything Copilot has highlighted, and decides your result and feedback. Our Internal Quality Assurers check a sample of these decisions in the same way as any other assessment.
The “Tell us what you need” form in your induction asks whether you have a learning need, disability or health condition that may affect your learning or assessment. Answering is optional, and you only need to share what you are comfortable sharing.
UK data protection law treats health information as special category data, which needs extra protection. We only use it to:
Only your tutor and the people who arrange your support see it. If we need to request an adjustment from CMI, we will tell you what we plan to share with CMI before we share it, and only share what CMI needs to consider the request.
| What we do | Our lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Set up your account, deliver your course and workshops, assess your work and register you with CMI | Performance of our contract with you |
| Keep activity logs, carry out internal and external quality checks, and keep records that show our assessment decisions were fair | Legitimate interests. As a CMI approved centre we must be able to show that assessment is accurate and fair, and you would expect us to keep this record |
| Record workshops, and use Microsoft 365 Copilot for a first-line review of your work | Legitimate interests. Recordings let us check the quality of teaching, and Copilot’s first-line review helps your tutor give you consistent, timely feedback. Your tutor reviews every assignment and makes every decision |
| Tell an employer who paid for your place that you have enrolled, and when you achieve your qualification | Legitimate interests. Your employer has paid for your place and needs to know it’s being used and what it has achieved |
| Keep records we are required to keep by law | Legal obligation |
| Use information about your health or learning needs to plan support and request reasonable adjustments, including from CMI | Your explicit consent, which you give when you complete the form. You can withdraw it at any time by emailing GDPR@smarttar.co.uk. If you do, we may not be able to put some adjustments in place |
The learning platform only sets cookies it needs to work, so there is no cookie banner.
| Cookie | What it does | Can you turn it off? |
|---|---|---|
| Session cookie | Keeps you logged in as you move between pages. It is deleted when you close your browser | No, you cannot log in without it |
| Remember username | Remembers your username on the login page, only if you tick “Remember username” | Yes, leave the box unticked |
| Page options | Remembers your colour scheme and text size if you change them with the accessibility tools | Yes, it is only set if you use those tools |
Our brand font is stored on our own server, so the platform does not send any information about you to a font provider.
We do not share your details with anyone else unless we are legally required to.
Where it is kept. The learning platform, including its database and the files you upload, is hosted on Microsoft Azure in London (UK South). Backups of the platform are kept in London, with a second copy in Cardiff (UK West) in case of a major outage. None of your learning platform information is stored outside the UK. Our Zoho records are stored in the European Union (EU), which the UK recognises as protecting personal information to the same standard as UK law.
| Information | How long |
|---|---|
| Your learner record: account, enrolment answers, Individual Learning Plan, assignments, feedback and results | 5 years, as that is how long CMI gives you to complete your qualification |
| Your answers to “Tell us what you need” | 5 years, so we can show CMI and our quality team what support and adjustments we put in place. Any adjustment request we send to CMI is kept with your assessment record |
| Workshop recordings | 5 years, as that is how long CMI gives you to complete your qualification |
| Activity logs | 12 months, then deleted automatically |
| Platform notifications | Read notifications are deleted after 1 week, and all notifications after 1 month |
| Backups | We back up the whole platform every hour, and each course automatically. All backups are kept in the UK and deleted after 30 days. Information deleted from the platform may stay in a backup for up to 30 days, but no longer. |
| Payment records | 6 years from the end of the financial year you paid in, as UK tax law requires |
Under UK data protection law you can ask us to:
You can make a request from your profile on the learning platform using “Contact the privacy officer”, or email GDPR@smarttar.co.uk. We will respond within one month. You can also see a summary of how long we keep information using the “Data retention summary” link at the bottom of every page on the platform.
Accessibility matters to us. It is built into how we design our courses, and it applies to this page too. If you would like this notice in large print, as plain text, in an easy-read version or read aloud, email askus@smartedgetraining.com and we will sort it out.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, please tell us first so we can put it right: GDPR@smarttar.co.uk.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or on 0303 123 1113.
If we change how we use your information, we will update this page and the date at the top, and ask you to read it again when you next log in. We review this notice at least once a year.
Last updated: October 2026. Next review: October 2027.
Cookies are small files that a website saves on your device. Some are needed to make the site work. Others help us understand how the site is used, or measure our adverts. We only use the second kind if you agree.
When you first visit, a banner asks whether you agree to analytics and advertising cookies. Nothing except the cookies needed to run the site is set until you choose. Rejecting is as easy as accepting, and if you reject them or close the banner, the site works exactly the same.
We remember your choice for 12 months, then ask again.
| Type | Who sets it | What it does | Can you turn it off? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | SmartEdge and CookieYes | Keeps the site working and remembers your cookie choice | No, the site needs these |
| Analytics | Google Analytics | Counts visits and shows which pages are used, so we can improve the site | Yes, off unless you agree |
| Advertising | Google Ads and LinkedIn | Measures whether our adverts lead to visits and enquiries, and lets us show our adverts on Google and LinkedIn to people who have visited this site | Yes, off unless you agree |
Full list of cookie names and how long each lasts.
The enrolment form and payment page. When you enrol, the form is provided by Zoho and card payments by Stripe. They may set cookies on their own pages that are needed to make the form and payment work securely, such as preventing fraud. Their privacy notices explain how: Zoho and Stripe.
You can change your choice at any time using the cookie settings link at the bottom of every page. You can also:
If you accept analytics or advertising cookies, Google and LinkedIn may combine this with information they already hold about you if you have an account with them. Their own privacy notices explain how: Google and LinkedIn.
Our privacy notice at smartedgetraining.com/privacy explains how we use your information, how long we keep it and your rights. For any question about cookies or your information, email GDPR@smarttar.co.uk.
We will review this policy at least once a year, and whenever we add or remove cookies. The current review date is shown in the footer.
Version 1.0. Last updated: October 2026. Next review: October 2027, or sooner if CMI changes its requirements.
SmartEdge is the short course academy and a trading name of Smart Training and Recruitment Limited. Smart Training and Recruitment is the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) approved centre, and SmartEdge delivers CMI qualifications under that centre approval. In this procedure, "we" means SmartEdge and Smart Training and Recruitment.
We want every learner to have a fair and positive experience. We treat complaints and appeals as a chance to put things right and to improve our courses.
This procedure explains how to raise a complaint, how to appeal a decision, what happens at each stage, and how long each stage takes. CMI requires every centre to have its own complaints and appeals procedures. You must use this procedure before you take a complaint or appeal to CMI.
This procedure applies to:
learners enrolled on a SmartEdge CMI qualification
employers who pay for, or support, a learner on a SmartEdge course
anyone who has applied for a SmartEdge course.
Some concerns have their own procedures. We will use the right one and tell you which we are using.
| Concern | Procedure we use |
|---|---|
| Cheating, plagiarism, misuse of AI in assessments, or mistakes in how we run assessments | SmartEdge Malpractice and Maladministration Policy |
| A concern about wrongdoing that you want to report in confidence | SmartEdge Whistleblowing Policy |
| How we use your personal information | Learner privacy notice. Email GDPR@smarttar.co.uk |
| Cancelling within 14 days of paying | SmartEdge terms and conditions |
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with any part of our service. For example: the quality of teaching or materials, workshops, communication, support, the learning platform, enrolment, payment, or the conduct of a member of staff.
An appeal is a request to review a decision we have made because you believe it was unfair or did not follow the correct process. In line with CMI, you can appeal against:
an assessment decision, for example a Refer result on an assignment
a decision about a reasonable adjustment or special consideration request
a malpractice or maladministration decision, or a sanction that follows one
the outcome of a complaint.
An appeal checks that the assessment was fair and followed the correct process. It is not a way to ask for your work to be re-marked simply because you expected a different result.
Monday to Friday, excluding UK bank holidays and the period between Christmas and New Year.
We will:
deal with your complaint or appeal promptly and within the timescales in this procedure
tell you if we need more time, why, and when you can expect a reply
make sure the person who reviews your case was not involved in the original decision or issue
answer every point you raise and explain our decision clearly
keep your complaint or appeal confidential, sharing only what is needed to investigate it
never treat you less favourably because you made a complaint or appeal in good faith
keep records of complaints and appeals separate from your learning record
always be courteous.
We ask you to:
raise concerns as early as possible, so we can put things right
give us all the information that is relevant to your case
deal sensitively with issues that involve other learners or staff, and only name them where necessary
always be courteous.
Most concerns can be resolved quickly. If something is not right, talk to your Learning and Development Tutor first. You can message them through the learning platform, raise it at a workshop, or email askus@smartedgetraining.com.
Act straight away if a problem could affect your progress. For example, if you cannot access a module, cannot book a workshop, or need support with an assessment, tell us at once. We cannot always put things right if we hear about a problem too late.
Your tutor will aim to resolve the concern within 5 working days. If you are not satisfied, or you would rather not speak to your tutor, you can go straight to a formal complaint or appeal. We will not register a formal complaint or appeal unless you ask us to.
Email askus@smartedgetraining.com with "Complaint" in the subject line. Please do this as soon as possible after the issue, ideally within 20 working days.
Set out what happened, when, who was involved, what you have already done to resolve it, and what you would like us to do. A short numbered list of points is often the clearest way.
We will pass your complaint to an Internal Quality Assurer who has not been involved in the issue. They will acknowledge it within 3 working days.
The Internal Quality Assurer will investigate and send you a written response within 10 working days of acknowledging it.
If you are not satisfied with the Stage 1 response, email askus@smartedgetraining.com within 10 working days of receiving it. Put "Complaint review" in the subject line and explain why you are not satisfied.
The Operations Director will acknowledge your request within 3 working days.
They will review how your complaint was handled and the Stage 1 decision, and send you a written response within 10 working days of acknowledging it.
This is the final stage of the SmartEdge procedure.
If your complaint relates to your CMI qualification and you are still not satisfied after Stage 2, you can complain to CMI. CMI will only consider your complaint once you have completed our procedure.
Email: compliance@cmi.org.uk, with the word "complaint" in the subject line. Give your centre as Smart Training and Recruitment Limited, trading as SmartEdge
Post: FAO Awarding Body, Chartered Management Institute, 77 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6SR
CMI aims to acknowledge complaints within 3 working days and respond within 20 working days.
If you are still not satisfied once CMI's complaints procedure is complete, you can complain to the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), the qualifications regulator in England. Ofqual looks at whether an awarding body has followed its own procedures. It cannot change an assessment decision. Visit gov.uk/ofqual or call 0300 303 3344.
If your assignment is marked Refer, you can resubmit it with your tutor's feedback. There is no limit on resubmissions until you pass.
Appeal only if you believe the decision was unfair or the correct process was not followed. Talk to your tutor first if you are unsure which route is right for you.
Do not resubmit work that is under appeal with CMI. CMI treats an appeal as withdrawn if the same work is resubmitted while the appeal is open.
Email askus@smartedgetraining.com with "Appeal" in the subject line within 20 working days of receiving the decision.
Explain which decision you are appealing, why you believe it is unfair or wrong, and include any evidence that supports your appeal.
An Internal Quality Assurer who did not make or quality assure the original decision will acknowledge your appeal within 3 working days.
They will review your work, the assessment decision and the process followed. They may speak to you and your tutor. They will send you a written outcome within 10 working days of acknowledging your appeal.
If you are not satisfied with the Stage 1 outcome, email askus@smartedgetraining.com within 10 working days of receiving it. Put "Appeal review" in the subject line and explain why.
The Operations Director will acknowledge your request within 3 working days.
They will review the evidence from Stage 1, and how the appeal was handled, and send you a written outcome within 10 working days of acknowledging it.
This is the final stage of the SmartEdge procedure. We will tell you how to appeal to CMI if you remain dissatisfied.
At Stage 1 or Stage 2 we may:
confirm the original decision
arrange for your work to be re-assessed by a different assessor
change the decision, where the evidence shows it should be changed
put right any problem with the process, such as reconsidering a reasonable adjustment request.
If your appeal is upheld, we will correct your records, check whether any other learner has been affected by the same issue, and change our processes to stop it happening again.
We will not claim your certificate from CMI for a unit or qualification while an appeal about it is open.
If you are still not satisfied after Stage 2, you can appeal to CMI. You must do this within 20 working days of being told our Stage 2 outcome. You can appeal to CMI yourself, or ask us to submit the appeal for you through CMI Partner Connect. There is no fee.
Email: compliance@cmi.org.uk
Post: FAO Awarding Body, Chartered Management Institute, 77 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6SR
Include your full name, your CMI registration number, your centre (Smart Training and Recruitment Limited, trading as SmartEdge), what you are appealing, your reasons and any supporting evidence.
CMI aims to acknowledge appeals within 3 working days and respond within 20 working days. CMI checks whether the correct processes were followed. If you are not satisfied with CMI's decision, you can ask, within 20 working days, for an independent reviewer to check that CMI followed its own procedure. That decision is final.
Ofqual does not consider individual appeals or change assessment decisions. You can complain to Ofqual only if you believe CMI has not followed its procedures, once CMI's complaints procedure is complete.
Nobody will review a complaint or appeal if they were involved in the issue or the original decision. If that applies to the person named at any stage:
at Stage 1, the other Internal Quality Assurer will take the case
at Stage 2, another Director of Smart Training and Recruitment will take the case.
If your complaint is about the Operations Director, email askus@smartedgetraining.com and mark it "For the attention of a Director". Another Director will handle Stage 2.
| Stage | Complaint | Appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Informal: Learning and Development Tutor | Aim to resolve within 5 working days | Aim to resolve within 5 working days |
| Stage 1: Internal Quality Assurer | Raise ideally within 20 working days. Acknowledged in 3 working days. Response in 10 working days | Raise within 20 working days of the decision. Acknowledged in 3 working days. Outcome in 10 working days |
| Stage 2: Operations Director | Request within 10 working days of Stage 1 response. Acknowledged in 3 working days. Response in 10 working days | Request within 10 working days of Stage 1 outcome. Acknowledged in 3 working days. Outcome in 10 working days |
| Stage 3: CMI | Acknowledged in 3 working days. Response in 20 working days | Submit within 20 working days of our Stage 2 outcome. Acknowledged in 3 working days. Response in 20 working days |
| After CMI | Ofqual, about CMI's procedures only | Independent review of CMI's procedure, then Ofqual about procedures only |
If a case is complex and we need more time, we will tell you why and give you a new date. CMI timescales are set by CMI and may change; CMI's current policies are published on the CMI website.
If you would like help to make a complaint or appeal, or advice on which route to use, your Learning and Development Tutor will be happy to help. You can also ask someone, such as a friend or colleague, to support you or to act on your behalf with your written permission.
If it is difficult for you to put your complaint or appeal in writing, for example because of a disability, email askus@smartedgetraining.com or call 01983 475006. We will agree another way, such as a Teams call that we record in writing and check with you. This procedure is also available in large print, as plain text or in an easy-read version on request.
We keep a log of every formal complaint and appeal, the evidence, the decision and any action taken. We keep these records for 5 years, in line with our learner record retention period, and store them separately from your learning record.
The Operations Director reviews the log at each quality meeting to spot trends and agree improvements. We make the log and case records available to CMI and its external quality assurer on request, and we tell CMI about any appeal or complaint that CMI requires us to report.
How we use your information is explained in the SmartEdge learner privacy notice.
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| SmartEdge complaints and appeals | askus@smartedgetraining.com or 01983 475006 |
| Data protection | GDPR@smarttar.co.uk |
| CMI Awarding Body | compliance@cmi.org.uk. FAO Awarding Body, Chartered Management Institute, 77 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6SR |
| Ofqual | gov.uk/ofqual or 0300 303 3344 |
| Registered office | Smart Training and Recruitment Limited, Suite 18, Mill Court Business Centre, Furrlongs, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2AA |