A document confirming internal recognition by a private association.
COC
Intellectual-property rights granted.
O
Independent reviewers assigned to each application.
З
IAE · INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EXPERTS, INC. · IAE-IPR REGISTRY
IAE-IPR · CERTIFICATE OF CONTRIBUTION
IAE-IPR Professional Records Registry
A voluntary internal IAE registry for documenting and recording the submission dates of proprietary methodologies, algorithms, and other developments created by Association members. Each submission undergoes independent collegial peer review. Following a positive decision, a Certificate of Contribution (COC) is issued as evidence of internal professional recognition. The COC does not certify originality or priority, does not grant intellectual-property rights, and does not replace a patent or copyright protection.
Registry No.
Author
Methodology
Date the Material Was Received
Peer Review
Author
Methodology
Date the Material Was Received
Peer Review
Registry Number
Author
Methodology
Date the Material Was Received
Peer Review
Author
Methodology
Date the Material Was Received
Peer Review
Certificate of Contribution
COC Document Template · IAE-IPR Registry
Internal professional recognition by IAE. · The record can be verified through the IAE Registry.
IAE-IPR-YYYY-XXXX
Name Surname · IAE-XXXX-XXXXX
Title of the submitted methodology
DD.MM.YYYY
Independent · Collegial
Name Surname · IAE-XXXX-XXXXX
Title of the submitted methodology
DD.MM.YYYY
Independent · Collegial
IAE-IPR-YYYY-XXXX
Name Surname · IAE-XXXX-XXXXX
Title of the submitted methodology
DD.MM.YYYY
Independent · Collegial
Name Surname · IAE-XXXX-XXXXX
Title of the submitted methodology
DD.MM.YYYY
Independent · Collegial
IAE-IPR is a voluntary internal registry of professional records maintained by the Association. It documents and time-stamps methodologies, algorithms, software solutions, and scientific developments submitted by IAE members exclusively for the Association’s internal record-keeping purposes.
Every submission undergoes independent collegial peer review based on a published Criteria Matrix. Following a positive decision, the submitted material receives internal professional recognition from the Association. The Registry does not examine or certify: originality, authorship, ownership of rights, legal priority, validity, eligibility for intellectual-property protection.
The result of the procedure is a Certificate of Contribution (COC). The certificate confirms only: the fact that the Association received the material, the date on which the material was received, where applicable, the fact of internal professional recognition. The COC does not grant statutory intellectual-property rights, establish legal priority, constitute a legal opinion, or replace: a patent, copyright, a trademark, trade-secret protection, a contract.
Every submission undergoes independent collegial peer review based on a published Criteria Matrix. Following a positive decision, the submitted material receives internal professional recognition from the Association. The Registry does not examine or certify: originality, authorship, ownership of rights, legal priority, validity, eligibility for intellectual-property protection.
The result of the procedure is a Certificate of Contribution (COC). The certificate confirms only: the fact that the Association received the material, the date on which the material was received, where applicable, the fact of internal professional recognition. The COC does not grant statutory intellectual-property rights, establish legal priority, constitute a legal opinion, or replace: a patent, copyright, a trademark, trade-secret protection, a contract.
A Registry of Records and Internal Recognition
What Is IAE-IPR?
Documentation of Developments
The COC records the submission date of the material and the fact of its internal professional recognition in the IAE-IPR Registry. It is not a patent application, does not establish legal priority, and does not grant intellectual-property rights.
Arbitration and Judicial Proceedings
The Registry entry documents the fact and date of submission of a methodology and its internal recognition by the IAE community. The parties, court, or tribunal determine what evidentiary weight, if any, should be assigned to such materials in a particular case. The COC does not constitute an opinion regarding legal priority.
Professional Portfolio
The Registry entry and COC may be referenced in: a résumé or CV, publications, a professional portfolio. They may be presented as evidence that the development was documented and received internal professional recognition from IAE.
Transparency for Third Parties
Every record has a unique identification number and can be verified through the IAE Registry. The following information is displayed in a standardized format: registry number, date, author, title, current status of the record.
IAE Distinguished Award
The existence of a COC may be taken into consideration when a professional is nominated for the IAE Distinguished Award in the Methodology category. It is considered alongside other documented professional achievements.
The procedure is governed by the IAE-IPR Terms. All timeframes are approximate. Each stage is documented, and the reviewers’ opinions are attached to the COC.
Review Procedure
How It Works
Collegial Peer Review
Three independent reviewers prepare written opinions and assign scores using a standardized Criteria Matrix. The assessment covers: completeness of documentation, reproducibility, practical applicability, practical testing, compliance with professional standards. The peer-review procedure does not establish the originality or legal priority of the submitted material.
Submission and Preliminary Assessment
The applicant confirms authorship and their right to submit the material through a formal declaration made under the IAE-IPR Terms. The applicant selects one of two submission modes: confidential, public. The Secretariat verifies the completeness of the documentation, including: description of the methodology, development history, publications, practical-testing materials. A panel of three independent reviewers specializing in the relevant professional field is appointed.
Registry Entry and COC
Following a positive collegial decision by the Certification Council—or, until that body is established, by the Board of Directors—the record is entered in the IAE-IPR Registry. The Registry entry includes: a unique registration number, the date the material was received, the author’s name. A Certificate of Contribution signed by the Executive Director is then issued. The record becomes available for verification through the IAE Registry.
01
02
03
The COC is a document of internal professional recognition issued by IAE. It confirms the fact and date on which the Association received the material and the result of the collegial peer-review procedure—and nothing more.
The Certificate of Contribution records the submission date of the material and its professional recognition following independent collegial review. It is a document of recognition by the professional community. It supplements, but does not replace, patent and copyright protection. A complete description of what the COC confirms is contained in the IAE-IPR Terms.
Receipt: The material was received by the Association and registered in the IAE-IPR Registry under a unique number.
Date: The date on which the material was received is recorded.
The COC does not establish legal priority and does not replace a patent application.
Internal Recognition: The material received professional recognition from the Association following independent collegial peer review.
Verifiability: The record can be verified by third parties through the IAE Registry. The number, date, author, and status are displayed in a standardized format.
Date: The date on which the material was received is recorded.
The COC does not establish legal priority and does not replace a patent application.
Internal Recognition: The material received professional recognition from the Association following independent collegial peer review.
Verifiability: The record can be verified by third parties through the IAE Registry. The number, date, author, and status are displayed in a standardized format.
What Does the Certificate of Contribution?
COC Certificate
Certificate of Contribution
IAE
International Association of Experts
Certificate of Contribution and Internal Recognition
REGISRTY NUMBER
IAE-IPR-YYYY-XXXX
AUTHOR
Name Surname · Membership Category · IAE-XXXX-XXXXX
TITLE OF THR METHODOLOGY
Title of the submitted material — example
AREA OF APPLICATION
Professional field stated by the author
REGISTRATION DATE
DD.MM.YYYY · Following independent collegial peer review
IAE-IPR-YYYY-XXXX
AUTHOR
Name Surname · Membership Category · IAE-XXXX-XXXXX
TITLE OF THR METHODOLOGY
Title of the submitted material — example
AREA OF APPLICATION
Professional field stated by the author
REGISTRATION DATE
DD.MM.YYYY · Following independent collegial peer review
Collegial Decision
IAE Protocol
Executive Director
Signature
Each of the three reviewers evaluates the submitted material using five criteria from a standardized matrix. The consolidated score is determined collegially. The Matrix is established in the IAE-IPR Terms. The criteria do not include the determination of originality or legal priority.
Peer-Review Criteria
Assessment Matrix
Criterion
What Is Assessed
Weight
Sufficiency of the methodology description, development history, versions, and supporting documentation. The author’s declaration confirming the right to submit the material is governed by the IAE-IPR Terms.
Actual application of the methodology in professional practice, including examples of use and achieved results.
Publications, reviews, implementation reports, citations, and other documented evidence of professional response.
Compliance with the methodological standards of the relevant professional field and applicable documentation-quality requirements.
Whether the description is sufficiently detailed to allow a competent professional to reproduce the methodology. Evidence of practical testing and measurable results is considered.
Completeness of Documentation
Reproducibility
Practical Applicability
Practical Testing and Professional Response
Compliance with Standards
25%
25%
20%
15%
10%
The Registry operates under the written IAE-IPR Terms approved by the Board of Directors. The Terms regulate: the author’s declarations upon submission, confidential and public submission modes, record-retention periods, dispute-resolution procedures, the precise scope of what the COC confirms. The complete text is publicly available on the IAE-IPR Terms page.
What Is the Legal Basis for the IAE-IPR Registry?
The standard application package includes: a description of the methodology, materials documenting its development history, publications, deposit or registration records, dated versions, examples of practical application, the author’s declaration confirming their right to submit the material. The complete list of documents and formatting requirements is established by the IAE-IPR Terms.
What Documents Are Required?
The applicant receives a reasoned opinion containing specific comments. The applicant may submit supplementary materials within 14 days in accordance with the IAE-IPR Terms. When the collegial body issues a negative decision after considering the supplementary materials, the applicant may submit a new application no earlier than six months later, after addressing the identified deficiencies. Negative decisions are not published.
What Happens If the Reviewers Issue a Negative Opinion?
No. The COC is a voluntary document issued by a private association. It is not: a government-issued document, a license, an expert opinion, an immigration decision. It does not certify originality, authorship, or priority. The evidentiary significance of a Registry entry or COC is determined exclusively by the relevant authorities, courts, tribunals, and parties in each individual case.
Does a COC Have Legal Force?
Any current IAE member may submit an application, including: Senior Members, Certified International Experts, Fellows of the Association. Professionals who are not yet IAE members must first apply for membership. The existence of a COC may be considered when a member is nominated for the IAE Distinguished Award in the Methodology category.
A patent is a legal monopoly over an invention granted by a government authority and conferring exclusive rights. A COC is a document of internal professional recognition issued by a private association. It confirms: the fact that the IAE-IPR Registry received the material, the date on which the material was received, the result of collegial peer review. The COC does not grant intellectual-property rights, establish legal priority, or replace a patent, copyright, or any other form of legal protection.
Who May Apply?
How Does a COC Differ from a Patent?
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
When your question is not addressed above, contact us directly.
Programs
Documents
Journal
International Association of Experts
An independent international professional association providing open standards for achievement verification, collegial certification, and a public registry of experts.
© 2026 International Association of Experts (IAE). All rights reserved.