What continuing education software does
Continuing education software is the system an association uses to publish courses, run live webinars, control who can access each course and issue a certificate when a member completes it. When it is part of your association management software, every course, enrollment and certificate is attached to the same member record you already use for dues and communication.
That connection is what makes an association LMS (learning management system) different from a generic course platform. A generic platform knows its students. An association LMS also knows who is a member and which category each member belongs to, and uses that information to decide what each person can access. If you are new to the category, our guide on what association management software is explains how the pieces fit together.
Why continuing education matters to associations
For medical and scientific societies and professional associations, education is often at the heart of what they offer members. A well-run program:
- Gives members value all year, not only at the annual congress.
- Keeps knowledge inside the association. Lectures and training sessions stop disappearing after the event ends.
- Reaches members wherever they are, in other cities or other countries, at the time that suits them.
- Supports students and early-career members with a clear path to follow.
- Makes the case for renewal. Members who learn with the association every month see what their dues pay for.
What to look for in an association LMS
Whatever platform you choose, check that it covers how associations actually teach:
- Recorded courses that members take at their own pace.
- Live webinars for lectures, updates and discussions led by your committees.
- Access by member category, so you decide who can see each course without managing permissions person by person.
- Learning paths that organize courses in a sequence and show members their progress.
- Certificates of completion that members can find again whenever they need them.
- One place for members. Courses should live in the same member portal members use to pay dues and update their data, not in a separate system with another password.
- One member database. Your team should not maintain one list of members for dues and another for courses.
How the Academy works in Assocializa
The Academy is the continuing education module of Assocializa, association management software by Softaliza. It is part of the Premium plan and lives inside the member portal, next to dues, receipts and the digital membership card.
Recorded courses
Publish courses that members take at their own pace, from any phone or computer. Lectures, training modules and talks you have already recorded can become a permanent catalog instead of files sitting in a shared folder.
Live webinars
Schedule live webinars for your members, such as lectures, case discussions or updates from your committees. If you record a session, you can later publish it as a recorded course, so members who could not attend still benefit.
Access by member category
Decide which member categories can access each course. A course can be open to every member, while another is reserved for full members, students or any other category your association uses. Because access is defined by category, your team does not have to grant permissions member by member.
Learning paths with progress
Group courses into learning paths, for example an introduction for new members or a program on a specific topic. Members see their progress along the path and know which course to take next.
Certificates of completion
When members complete a course, they receive a certificate of completion, available in the member portal whenever they need it. Your office stops issuing certificates by hand and answering requests for copies.
Courses and activities on the Advanced plan
Not every association needs a full Academy on day one. The Advanced plan, at USD 120 per month, already includes courses, activities and events, each with:
- Its own page, with everything members need to know before they sign up.
- Online registration, with member pricing applied automatically when you charge for the activity.
- A calendar with reminders, so members do not miss the date.
- Certificates in the member portal after the activity.
Advanced also includes a document library, where you can keep course materials and reference documents for members, a news timeline to announce new activities and a forum with moderation where members can continue the discussion.
When your program grows into a catalog of recorded courses, learning paths and live webinars, you can move to Premium at any time, without changing systems.
How to launch your first program
- Start with what you already have. Recorded lectures, past webinars and congress talks are often enough for a first set of courses.
- Decide who each course is for. Map every course to the member categories that should see it before you publish.
- Build one learning path first. A short path for new members or students is easy to finish and shows the value quickly.
- Agree on what counts as completion. Tell members up front that they will receive a certificate of completion when they finish.
- Announce it where members already are. Use segmented email to invite each category to the courses meant for them, and the news timeline to keep the program visible.
- Plan the next round with your committees. Ask members what they want to learn next and turn the most requested topics into new courses.
What it costs
- Advanced, USD 120 per month: courses, activities and events with online registration, member pricing, calendar reminders and certificates in the member portal.
- Premium, USD 200 per month: everything in Advanced plus the Academy, with recorded courses, live webinars, access by member category, learning paths with progress and certificates of completion.
Prices are fixed for your association, whatever the number of members. There is no setup fee, data migration and human support are included, and you can cancel with 30 days' notice. Compare every plan in our pricing section.
Softaliza has built software for associations since 2019 and works with more than 200 organizations around the world, from the World Academy of Neurological Surgery, with members in 61 countries, to Brazilian medical and scientific societies such as ASBAI, SBOC and SBIm. Meet our customers.
Watch the demo to see Assocializa plan by plan.