Foundation in Investment Promotion

Q01

Start Date: 01/10/2026

Foundation in Investment Promotion (Level 4 Award)

R34 291,63

Available Seats: 20

Study Hours: 120

Expert led webinar

Certificate of Completion with Attainment Level

Qualification Summary

Course Overview

The Foundation in Investment Promotion (Level 4 Award) introduces participants to the evolving global economy and strategies for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to nations, cities, and regions.
The course covers essential policies and programmes designed to attract and retain FDI.
Participants learn to utilise models, processes, and tools to identify and promote key economic sectors.

Key Assessment Criteria

Economic Evaluation: Evaluate the potential of FDI to stimulate GDP and the role of investment promotion agencies.
Investor Analysis: Analyse foreign direct corporate investors by industry, country of origin, and management structure to understand their site selection processes.
Strategic Management: Demonstrate effective IPA operations and evaluate strategic choices that support international and local business investment.
Promotion and Marketing: Measure the impact of various promotion methods, including digital approaches, and synthesise place marketing techniques to create brand awareness and generate leads.
Business Retention and Expansion (BRE): Analyse the main objectives, issues, and activities of BRE, covering both local (onshore) operations and global headquarters (offshore).
Agency Effectiveness: Differentiate and compare methods used to organise, manage, and monitor the performance of an investment promotion agency.

Professional Skills and Support

Acquire fundamental principles of economic and FDI analysis, international market research, project management, and financial budgeting.
Develop a good understanding of best practices in investment promotion and place marketing for FDI and cross-border investment.
Grasp the core principles of government support and investment facilitation for attracting and retaining FDI.

Assessment Methods and Certification

Assessment methods: Assignments, case studies, and essay questions.
Regulation and Certification: This customised qualification is regulated and awarded by GDP Global.

Assessment Guidance

The following is assessment guidance for all assessment criteria covering the "Foundation in Investment Promotion" qualification. You should be able to:

Understand the global economy in relation to a specific geographical area and demonstrate expertise in the application of a range of skills, knowledge and techniques to achieve the specific aims of promoting, winning and retaining foreign direct investment, including:
Examine and evaluate the potential of foreign direct investment (FDI) to stimulate the gross domestic product (GDP) of economies and explore the role of investment promotion agencies in attracting such investment.
Analyse foreign direct corporate investors according to industry, country of origin and management structure and evaluate how this will affect their selection of locations to make future investments.
Demonstrate how investment promotion agencies (IPAs) operate effectively and examine and evaluate particular strategic choices that support international and local business investment.
Demonstrate the impact of methods of investment promotion including digital investment promotion approaches and synthesise a distinctive place marketing approach with techniques to create brand and location awareness and generate investment leads.
Demonstrate an understanding of business retention and expansion (BRE) and an analysis of the main objectives, issues and activities in BRE, both locally (onshore) and at investors' global headquarters (offshore).
Differentiate and compare steps taken to organise, manage and monitor the effectiveness of an investment promotion agency IPA.

The above assessment guidance applies to across all assessment methods which include: assignments, case studies, essay questions.

Who is this training programme designed for?
Employees of government departments, institutions and agencies.
Employees of private sector investment promotion entities.
Employees of private sector finance and investment companies.

What are the Delivery Methods?
Training is provided via self-study online learning, ive or recorded instructor-led presentations and tutorials, and scheduled face-to-face sessions on request.

What are minimum entry requirements that learner should meet?
Learners must be employees or contractors of a client organisation, such as a government department, agency, institution, or private sector commercial interest.
It is recommended that candidates possess prior relevant experience or an academic qualification equivalent to a Bachelor's degree.

What guidance and support is available for learners?
Learners can receive support and guidance from the course presenter by interacting during live online training sessions and online tutorials; and/or from the course presenter in the classroom (face to face or virtual); from the course presenter via email or chat; from colleagues in the peer group learning activities.

What assessments will a training participant submit in order to qualify?
Diagnostic and summative multiple-choice assessments occur at the start and end of the programme, providing feedback without impacting the final qualification.
Learners undergo ongoing formative assessments through group case studies and performance observations to monitor progress and receive guidance.
The programme concludes with an individual three-week written assignment, which is objectively evaluated to assess the learner's standard.

How will the training be monitored and reviewed?
Learner involvement on the programme is monitored as follows:
Attendance and participation are tracked through both face-to-face and online sessions, though time spent is not a sole decision criterion.
Ongoing performance is evaluated through formative assessments and quizzes using multiple choice questions (MCQs), with regular feedback provided by trainers and the course director.
Any concerns regarding a learner's progress or attendance are addressed initially through confidential discussions with the learner, escalating to their sponsor if necessary.

Score attainment:
On successful completion of the programme the following attainment levels will apply:
Pass: 50% - 64%
Merit: 65% - 74%
Distinction: 75%+
Participation: 25-49%