Badminton Europe (BEC) applies the following procedure for education and upgrading of umpires within Europe. There is a clear progression between the different levels, from a national level umpire to the BEC Accredited and BEC Certificated levels and eventually to becoming a BWF Umpire.

A candidate is nominated by their national association to attend a National umpire workshop and appraisal. A workshop would normally be held alongside a Badminton Europe Circuit tournament and does not offer assessment; it focuses on education.

An umpire can be assessed towards the BEC Accredited Umpire level after successfully attending a National umpire workshop and appraisal. The candidate must have attended the workshop not more than 36 months prior to the commencement of the assessment. The Assessment towards the BEC Accredited level will normally take place during one of the BEC Events, once a year in odd numbered years (2023, 2025), and twice a year in even numbered years (2024, 2026), i.e. three assessments every two years. (update 18/08/2022: All umpires being nominated for assessment for BEC Accredited level must have attended a Badminton Europe umpire national umpire workshop and appraisal not more than 48 months (for those who attended their NUWA in 2021 or before) or 36 months (for those who attended their NUWA in 2022 or after) prior to the commencement of the assessment.)

An umpire can be assessed towards the BEC Certificated Umpire level after being active as a BEC Accredited Umpire for normally 24 months. The Assessment towards the BEC Certificated level will take place once a year, usually in October/November, where candidates will be selected upon a nomination from their national association, a satisfactory Record of Work and a positive recommendation following an Appraisal at a BEC Event.

An umpire can be proposed for an Assessment towards the BWF Accredited Umpire level after being active as a BEC Certificated Umpire for normally 24 months. This proposal is made to BWF by Badminton Europe, however, the final selection is fully in the competence of BWF. Proposals will be based on a satisfactory Record of Work and a positive recommendation following an Appraisal at a BEC Event.

National umpire workshop and appraisal

- intended for national level umpires
- a practical workshop consisting of a theoretical part (lectures) and a practical part (umpiring at a BEC Circuit tournament)
- led by members of the BEC Umpire Assessment Panel
- part of umpires’ pathway at the initial stage, i.e. before being selected for an Assessment towards the BEC Accredited level

Appraisal

- intended for BEC Accredited umpires and for BEC Certificated umpires
- supervised umpiring practice, usually during a BEC Event
- led by members of the BEC Umpire Assessment Panel who observe and evaluate participants’ performance, and will be reporting accordingly to BEC
- part of umpires’ pathway at two stages:

before a candidate can be assessed towards the BEC Certificated level

before a candidate can be proposed to be assessed towards the BWF Accredited level

Assessment

- intended for national level umpires and for the BEC Accredited level umpires*
- a theoretical and practical exam for an Assessment towards the BEC Accredited level (written test and umpiring at a BEC Event or at a Grade 3 tournament)
- a theoretical and practical exam for an Assessment towards the BEC Certificated level (written test and umpiring at a BEC Event or at a Grade 2 tournament)
- led by members of the BEC Umpire Assessment Panel who observe and evaluate participants’ performance both in the theoretical and the practical part, and who will be reporting accordingly to BEC
- successful participants consequently recommended for an upgrade towards a higher level
- on the BEC level, umpires must pass an Assessment during two stages of their pathway:

before being upgraded from their national level to the BEC Accredited level

before being upgraded from the BEC Accredited level to the BEC Certificated level

* further assessments towards the BWF Accredited (for BEC Certificated Umpires) and the BWF Certificated levels are conducted by BWF and led by the BWF Umpire Assessment Panel

Upgrade

- official announcement of an umpire having reached a new, higher level of their qualification
- based on the recommendations of the BEC Umpire Assessment Panel
- effective only once approved by Badminton Europe´s Major Events Commission and Board of Directors

An umpire can re-attend as many National umpire workshop and appraisal and Appraisals as they wish (if selected), but Assessments can be attended only twice. There must be a space of 24 months between each Assessment at the same level.

For BEC Assessments, umpires are not assessed if aged 55 or over and the retirement age is 60. BWF umpires must retire at 55.

Downgrade

1. Whenever the BEC umpire assessment panel is on official assigned duty (National umpire workshop and appraisal/Appraisal/Assessment), the BEC umpire assessment panel agrees that an umpire is not performing to the level of his/her badge even after being “coached” through the appraisal.
2. The umpire must go through a “downgrade appraisal” (1 of the assessors must be different from the initial appraisal) within 18 months from the initial appraisal. If he/she is still underperforming or doesn’t attend a ‘’downgrade appraisal’’, then the umpire is downgraded.
3. The "downgrade appraisal" can take place during a National umpire workshop and appraisal or a BEC Accredited umpire appraisal for BEC Accredited umpires, or during a BEC Certificated umpire appraisal for BEC Certificated umpires.

Record of work

All Badminton Europe Umpires must complete a Record of Work detailing where and in how many matches they have officiated during the previous year. Once completed it should be sent to the Badminton Europe office in January (e.g. Jan – Dec 2023 Record of Work should be submitted in Jan 2024). Umpires who will not officiate in at least 40 matches (index number) in BWF sanctioned tournaments are no longer recognised as international umpires and will be removed from the list of Badminton Europe umpires.

Umpires removed from the list can be reinstated (on the same level as they reached before being removed), but only after attending (and passing) a refreshment course organised by Badminton Europe.