What Learning & Development Institute (L&DI) does

The Learning & Development Institute (L&DI) is Ireland's non-profit professional body for Learning & Development practitioners, founded in 1969 as the Irish Institute of Training & Development (IITD) and rebranded to L&DI around 2023. Headquartered in Naas, Co. Kildare with 21 employees, L&DI operates a membership-based model serving individual L&D professionals across six tiers (Student, Affiliate, Graduate, Associate/AL&DI, Member/ML&DI, Fellow/FL&DI) and corporate organizations across Ireland. Its mission centers on setting standards and benchmarks for best practice in the Irish L&D profession.

L&DI's product portfolio combines professional development, networking, recognition, and standards-setting. Core offerings include an annual events calendar anchored by the National Conference at Croke Park (€250 members / €295 non-members), the Excellence in Learning Awards now in its 27th year, and a steady cadence of webinars, masterclasses, and networking events. Educational offerings include the MSc in Strategic Learning & Development delivered with Dublin City University (first cohort graduated 2023/24) and L&DI Endorsed Programmes providing a QQI-aligned quality mark. The L&D Skills Navigator, developed with HPC and funded by Skillnet Ireland, is a digital skills-mapping resource, and the membership portal handles signup, event registration, course enrollment, and access to resources and a quarterly magazine.

Revenue is generated primarily through subscription membership fees (€195/year individual), corporate membership packages, event registration fees (€75–€295 for non-members), course fees, and academic programme partnerships. The organization is member-funded with no venture capital, parent company, or subsidiaries, and is governed independently for the benefit of the L&D profession. Strategic partnerships with Skillnet Ireland, DCU, HPC, Learnovate Centre, and various consultancies and academic institutions enable delivery while preserving its non-profit status.

Name

Learning & Development Institute (L&DI)

Legal name

The Learning and Development Institute

Website

https://landdi.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Learning & Development Institute (L&DI) is Ireland's non-profit professional body for Learning & Development, founded in 1969. From Naas, Co. Kildare with 21 staff, it serves L&D professionals through membership tiers, events, awards, an MSc with DCU, and the L&D Skills Navigator.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning & Development (L&D) & Training Management (EDABAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Professional membership association
• Learning and development
• Professional development training
• Workforce skills training
• Industry awards programme

Headquarters

HQ city

Naas

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership: Annual membership fees providing access to resources, events, networking, and professional credibility. Membership levels include Fellow (FL&DI), Member (ML&DI), Associate (AL&DI), Graduate, Student, and Affiliate.
2. Corporate Membership: Organizational membership packages for companies with multiple L&D professionals.
3. Event Registration Fees: Fees for webinars, conferences, workshops, masterclasses, and networking events. Some events free for members, with non-member pricing from €75-€295.
4. Course Fees: Revenue from training courses, endorsed programmes, and educational offerings. Full payment due immediately upon booking.
5. MSc Programme Partnership: Partnership with DCU for MSc in Strategic Learning and Development with funding available through L&D Skillnet.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

L&DI is a non-profit professional body for Learning & Development in Ireland (founded 1969), providing individual and corporate membership, an annual calendar of conferences, webinars, masterclasses, networking events and awards, accredited educational programmes (notably an MSc in Strategic L&D delivered with Dublin City University), an L&D Skills Navigator resource tool, an Endorsed Programmes quality mark, and a Mentorship Panel for L&D practitioners.

Product overview

L&DI offers a unified professional membership ecosystem rather than a modular software platform. The core offering centers on membership (with six professional grades from Student to Fellow), supplemented by an annual events calendar (conferences, awards, webinars, networking), accredited educational programs (including an MSc partnership with DCU), the L&D Skills Navigator resource tool, Endorsed Programme certification, and a Mentorship Panel. These products collectively serve L&D professionals in Ireland through professional development, networking, credentialing, and research resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• L&DI Individual Membership Annual individual membership for L&D professionals in Ireland providing access to resources, free member events, networking, mentorship, research publications, and post-nominal credentials (FL&DI, ML&DI, AL&DI).
• L&DI Corporate Membership Organisational membership package for companies providing multiple L&D staff access to L&DI benefits, events, resources and team development opportunities.
• L&DI Events & Webinars Calendar of conferences, masterclasses, webinars, networking events and panel discussions covering L&D topics; free for members, with paid tickets for non-members.
• L&DI National Conference Annual flagship in-person conference featuring keynote speakers, workshops and exhibitions on L&D trends, held at venues such as Croke Park in Dublin.
• Excellence in Learning Awards Annual national awards programme celebrating excellence, best practice and innovation in L&D across categories including Leadership Development, Digital Learning, Coaching & Mentoring, Diversity & Inclusion, and L&D Organisation of the Year.
• MSc in Strategic Learning & Development Two-year part-time Level 9 Masters programme (NFQ) in Strategic Learning & Development delivered with Dublin City University, combining academic knowledge with practical industry insights, with funding available through L&D Skillnet.
• L&D Skills Navigator Online skills navigation tool that helps L&D professionals identify resources to develop skills at the appropriate depth for their individual role, developed in partnership with HPC and funded by Skillnet Ireland.
• L&DI Endorsed Programmes Quality endorsement scheme for external training programmes that meet L&DI standards, providing a recognised quality mark to training providers operating in the Irish L&D market.
• L&DI Mentorship Panel Service connecting L&D professionals with experienced practitioners for guidance, advice and career development support.
• L&DI Resources & Research Subscription-access library of L&D research, trends, insights, blog articles, books, podcasts and the quarterly L&DI Magazine for ongoing professional development.
• L&DI Courses Paid catalogue of training courses, masterclasses and educational offerings for L&D practitioners delivered via L&DI and partner training providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• L&DI sets the standards and benchmarks for best practice in L&D in Ireland. Having programmes endorsed by L&DI really elevates the value of the training provided. It is a quality mark that connects our brand with the industry standard.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Dublin City University (DCU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Academic partnership delivering the MSc in Strategic Learning and Development, the only programme of its kind in Ireland. Level 9 NFQ programme combining academic knowledge with practical industry insights. L&DI membership included for programme duration. First cohort graduated in 2023/24.
• L&D SkillnetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partnership for delivering training programmes and funding opportunities for L&D professionals in Ireland. L&D Skillnet provides funding support for members to access educational programmes including the MSc in Strategic L&D. Skillnet Ireland funding supports the L&D Skills Navigator development.
• Skillnet IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment-funded initiative supporting skills development. Provides funding for the L&D Skillnet and related initiatives including the L&D Skills Navigator project developed with HPC.
• HPC (Harvey Performance Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for L&D Skills Navigator development. Compiled Sectoral Research Report to inform design of skills gap identification research spanning 18 months. Kevin Hannigan and Justin Kinnear from HPC involved in skills navigator development.
• Learnovate CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for innovation workshops and research initiatives exploring L&D challenges and solutions in Ireland.
• HarvestmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Excellence in Learning Awards, including the Pearse Walsh Award. Co-hosts events and provides support for awards programme.
• Harvest ResourcesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerL&D consulting firm facilitating awards case study events and hosting networking sessions.
• Roffey ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based organizational consultancy co-hosting events on career paths and organizational agility in partnership with L&DI.
• Sheppard MoscowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeadership development consultancy collaborating on events about strategic influence and leadership transformation.
• The Learning RoomsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital learning specialist exhibiting at L&DI conferences and contributing to speaker events.
• InvisiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerL&D consultancy partnering on social learning events and networking sessions.
• Aurion LearningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLearning technologies company exhibiting at L&DI National Conference.
• IMI (Institute of Management Studies)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIrish Management Institute exhibiting at L&DI conferences.
• Trinity College DublinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAcademic institution exhibiting at L&DI National Conference.
• UFHRD (University Forum for Human Resource Development)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic conference network. L&DI sponsors the annual UFHRD Conference hosted by Irish institutions.
• National College of IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the 2023 UFHRD Conference. Academic partnership for HR and OD research dissemination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Dublin City University (DCU): Academic partner delivering the MSc in Strategic Learning and Development — the only programme of its kind in Ireland. Comparable as a strategic co-development partner whose academic credentials anchor L&DI's premium offering.
• University Forum for Human Resource Development (UFHRD): International academic network for HRD research and scholarship, sponsored by L&DI. Comparable as an ecosystem participant sharing L&DI's research and academic dissemination mission for L&D and HRD.
• Skillnet Ireland: Government-funded enterprise-led workforce development agency and L&DI's core funding partner. Comparable as a key ecosystem participant that co-funds the L&D Skills Navigator and MSc programme, representing both a major funding source and a potential risk vector.

Broad incumbents

• Institute of Leadership & Management: UK-headquartered membership body for managers and leaders with thousands of members, offering credentials and training-adjacent services. Comparable as a UK/Irish professional body offering tiered membership and leadership credentials overlapping L&DI's senior L&D audience.
• CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development): The UK's largest professional body for HR and L&D, with over 100,000 members. Highly comparable as a professional membership body setting standards for L&D, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope across HR/L&D/people management.

Emerging players

• eLearning Industry: The largest global online community of eLearning professionals, with millions of monthly visitors, articles, and resources. Comparable as an emerging digital-first L&D community potentially competing for L&DI members' attention and content consumption.

Regional players

• Irish Management Institute (IMI): Ireland's premier management development institution, exhibiting at L&DI conferences. Comparable as a domestic professional development body serving Irish corporate managers, with overlapping audience but broader management rather than L&D focus.
• Roffey Park Institute: UK/Ireland-based organizational development and leadership institute co-hosting events with L&DI. Comparable as a UK/Irish professional development institution offering leadership programmes and academic partnerships similar to L&DI's DCU MSc collaboration.

Direct peers

• Association for Talent Development (ATD): The largest US-based professional membership association for the talent development field, with 35,000+ members across 100+ countries. Directly comparable as a global L&D professional body offering memberships, certifications, conferences, and research similar to L&DI's structure.
• Learning and Performance Institute (LPI): UK-based global professional body for learning and development, offering individual and corporate accreditation, the Certified Learning and Development Professional (CLDP) credential, and thought leadership — the closest direct competitor in professional L&D membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LandDInstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/LandDInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/learning-and-development-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/landd_institute

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Learning & Development Institute (L&DI)