The Project Management Institute or PMI, is a non-profit organization that is focused on the advancement of project management standards and practices. The PMI organization and its established standards are recognized globally with member across 183 countries, according to their website.
Members Benefits
New or seasoned project management professionals can become PMI member's by paying a fee, which in turn provides access to PMI members only research, networking events and continuous support in the project management field. Along with having national and global access, there are also local PMI chapters that offere networking and support opportunites.
Project Management Professional or PMP Certification
Along with providing a baseline membership, project managers can also apply for the PMP or Project Management Professional certification offered by the PMI. In order to gain the PMP certification, you must take classes and have a set amount of hours as a project manager. According to their website, an individual must possess a 4-year degree, at least 3-years of project management experience, with 4,500 hours applied directly towards leading projects and 35 hours of project management education in order to apply for certification. Once the requirements are met, the individual must take an exam that ultimately provides the certification.
PMBOK - PMI Handbook
One of the goals of the Project Management Institute is to establish global standards for the field of project management. Although there are many PMI standard publications, the Project Management Body of Knowledge or PMBOK is the most widely recognized. You'll see this handbook referenced in many PMI standards and it is accredited by the American National Standards Institute. If you are taking courses in project management, if might be beneficial to purchase the PMBOK as a guide.