FAQ

Finance

Finance

I have received an invoice with VAT however I have a EU VAT -identification number. Is the invoice correct?

For trainings which take place in the Netherlands Dutch VAT is always added. For trainings outside of the Netherlands but within EU VAT reverse charge mechanism is applicable if the participant has provided EU VAT identification number in the subscription process. If you have questions regarding VAT in your invoice please contact finance@gladwellacademy.com.

I have enrolled and paid by credit card. Why do I still receive an invoice?

The invoice is your receipt of the purchase. In the invoice you see training information training and selected payment method.

My enrollment has been changed to another training. Why did I receive a credit invoice and a new invoice even though the price of the training is the same?

The invoice is a receipt of the purchase, it entails the information for the course you are about to enter. Therefore if participant is shifted from one training to another we always credit the invoice of the original training and make a new invoice for the new training.

I am enrolling to a course in the United States. Will I be invoiced by a Dutch or US company?

Gladwell Academy B.V is a Dutch company and invoices courses in the United States.

My payment was refunded back to my credit card, however I didn’t receive the same amount I paid due to currency changes. Will you refund the difference for me?

Gladwell Academy uses credit card payment supplier to refund your purchase with the same amount as the payment sent to us, unfortunately we can not be held responsible for exchange rate differences.

How do I change my billing information?

If you want to change the invoicing address, the recipient of the invoice, or add information, for example purchase order number, to the invoice please contact finance@gladwellacademy.com

How do I know if my payment is confirmed?

The invoice is the receipt of the purchase. If you want to have confirmation that your payment has been received please contact finance@gladwellacademy.com.

What is your payment term?

Our payment term is 14 days. Please note that we require our trainings to be paid before the training starts.

Is VAT included in the prices?

All our prices on the website are excluding VAT. You will see the total price on the registration page.

During the Course

During the Course

I followed the Leading SAFe (SA) course previously. Do I need to attend the first two days of the SPC course?

Yes, you need to attend the first two days of the SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) course as well. It's not possible to step in on the third day.

Mainly because the first two days of the course—Leading SAFe®—are all about the basics you need to teach SAFe to leaders.

In what language is the course given?

Mostly our courses are given in English or Dutch.

The language is indicated on the course registration page. We also have courses in German and French. Please contact us to know further language needs/possibilities.

Is lunch included in the course?

Yes. Please indicate your allergies beforehand.

Lunch and snacks are always included in the price. If you have dietary requirements, please get in touch in advance via training@gladwellacademy.com.

Who is the trainer?

We aim to always have accurate details of the trainer on our website.

The trainer's name is given on the registration page and we aim to have the correct trainer on our website at all times. In the event of a new trainer has been assigned we will update you accordingly. All our trainers are qualified, with several years of experience in large-scale transformations.

What is the best accommodation option during the course/event?

We recommend booking your hotel only after the class is confirmed by email.

You will receive the exact course location by email latest 2 weeks before the start of the course. For the classes where the location is known, you can see it on the registration page (find the training in the desired location, then click 'register'). We recommend booking your hotel only after the class is confirmed by email. We advise you not to make any non-refundable bookings before the course has been confirmed.

For events, the recommended hotel options are mentioned at the event website.

Where can I park my car?

About 2 weeks before the course begins, you will get an email where you can see the address. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer free parking anywhere else besides our headquarters.

In case you attend a course at our Headquarters in Amsterdam, see below parking details:

Gladwell Academy
Spaces Zuidas (6th floor)
Barbara Strozzilaan 201
1083 HN Amsterdam

If you arrive by car, you can park in the garage under the SPACES building (upon availability). You will receive a ticket from us that will allow you to leave the parking garage free of charge. Gladwell Academy is located on the left side once you exit the elevator on the 6th floor.

What time does the training course start and finish?

Please see the exact start/end time from the confirmation email you received.

Most of the courses start at 9.00 AM, some courses start at 8.30 AM. You will receive the exact schedule by email about 2 weeks before the course starts. Please make sure your email matches the one that was given during registration – the information will be sent to that email address. Please also check your spam inbox. Most classes finish at around 17:00 / 17:30 (5 PM/5.30 PM).

What is the location of my training?

Please refer to the Gladwell Academy website and your email.

You will receive the exact location by email no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. For the classes where the location is known in advance, this will be shown on the registration page (find the training in the desired location, then click 'register').

How can I prepare for the course?

See the welcome email for reading materials, or contact one of our advisors.

In some courses, you will receive reading materials by email upon the confirmation of the course.

There are various other sources which you can use to prepare, and we have a free Scaling Agile Awareness e-learning module on our website. If you wish to have official course related content, please visit the following:

For SAFe: See the official website www.scaledagile.com

For Scrum trainings: See the official website www.scrum.org

If you alternatively wish to get some more information on rather specific topics, please feel free to reach out to our learning & development advisors or via the chat.

Exam & License

Exam & License

How do PDU points work?

Here are the step by step instructions with regard to claim PDU's.

  1. Log into PMI.org.
  2. Click on Certifications.
  3. Under Apply Now click on ReportPDUs on CSSR.
  4. Type the Provider and course name in the Course Catalog search bar.
  5. Click on the applicable Course.
  6. You will see the breakdown of all the PDUs.

For questions regarding specifics, such as what can be counted as a PDU credit or how many credits are needed, please reach out to PMI directly at https://www.pmi.org/about/contact.

How long do I have to complete the SAFe exam?

Visit the Scaled Agile website for the most actual answer to this question.

Can I get extra time on the exam?

Visit the Scaled Agile website for the most actual answer to this question.

Can I extend my SAFe exam period?

Normally you have to take the exam within 30 days of the course end date.

In the SAFe community platform you can see the “extend 2 weeks” button which will be displayed for 30 days after the exam has expired. As soon as you click the button, the two week extension begins. For example, if you require 3 weeks, then wait a week, then press the button. It's important that you don't exceed that grace period as then you would have to pay for another test.

What happens if I fail my SAFe exam?

Visit the Scaled Agile website for the most actual answer to this question.

I purchased a password using a different name and email. Can I still take the Scrum.org assessment on my own account?

Visit the Scrum.org website for the most actual answer to this question.

Do assessment passwords expire?

Visit the Scrum.org website for the most actual answer to this question.

Remote Classrooms

Remote Classrooms

Which platforms do you use for your Remote Classrooms?

Our instructors at Gladwell Academy have embraced platforms such as Zoom, Teams, and WebEx to enable remote content delivery and lively discussions. For open schedule training we use Zoom and for In-company training we prefer Microsoft Teams for their commitment to privacy and security and they currently offer the highest quality sound and picture but we can adapt to any application landscape. We also use applications such as Mural, Miro and Google Drive.

How do you keep students focused during these courses?

Focus in the morning, process afterwards
In a remote training setting it is much more difficult for participants (and instructors) to remain focused for long periods of time. Making a course which is normally eight hours a day, into a four-hour course set over a longer period proves far more productive in a remote classroom.

Another trap to avoid is the infamous ‘Death by PowerPoint’: slide-deck-driven trainings can become a much heavier burden. How do our trainers cope? By keeping students involved.
Of course, it is important that to access the theory during training, but it is equally important to keep people engaged and involved. So, we intelligently adapt course content, exercises, and storytelling to suit remote training.

How do you keep the group engaged?

When conducting remote classes, our instructors apply a wide range of techniques and strategies to bridge the physical distance. Here’s a few techniques we picked up.

Group involvement leans heavily on seeing each other’s faces. We ask our students to keep their video feeds on, and with great results. Seeing is engaging!

For our instructors, we try to use multiple screens in training. One monitor is used to display course materials, while the other is the channel for participant communication. This makes moving between students and content more fluid and discourages boring slide reading; a trap to avoid at all times.

What are the advantages of Remote Classrooms?
  • Long distance learning
  • Enhances collaboration and communication
  • Real-time teaching and learning
  • Effective and efficient time management
  • Accessible to everyone from anywhere and at anytime
  • Introduces attendees and educators to educational technology
  • Comprehensive online tutorials
  • Encourages digital and smart classrooms
  • Improves Visualization
Can I attend your Remote Classrooms?

We offer all our training courses remotely.

Gladwell remote classrooms are an exciting alternative to learning in a social physical environment. These remote classes are powered by several best-in-class online social technologies, which won’t require any additional hardware on your end – and they’re easy to join.

Remote classes are broadcast live by an accredited course instructor. You’ll be able to interact with classmates and your instructor using chat, audio and/or video, edit relevant documents together live, debate about learning topics, and share your questions and thoughts at the click of a button. It’s like a physical classroom, but without the hassle of travel.

Cancellation

Cancellation

How late can I cancel my participation?

Cancelling on short notice may trigger a fine. See our Terms & Conditions.

We understand that sometimes plans change and you have to cancel your attendance. However, canceling on short notice creates extra costs for us as well. Have you considered sending a colleague/team member instead? This is free of charge and can be done until one working day before the course starts.

In the event the Client cancels the Training Service, the following costs will be charged:

  • for all cancellations a € 175 administration fee will be charged;
  • If cancellation occurs between 8-6 weeks before the start of the training, 50% of the subscription price will be charged to the Client;
  • If cancellation occurs between 5-3 weeks before the start of the training 75% of the subscription price will be charged to the client;
  • If the client cancels within 2 weeks before the training 100% of the subscription price will be charged to the client.

See also article 3.9 in Terms & Conditions.

What happens if the class is cancelled?

If the course is cancelled or confirmed, you will be notified no later than 2 weeks before the course starts.

If the course is confirmed, you will get an invitation email at least 2 weeks before the course starts. If the course is cancelled, we will inform you 2 weeks before by phone. Together we can see if there is another course date available. If not, you are entitled to a full refund. See our Terms & Conditions here.

Enrollment & Contact

Enrollment & Contact

I want to give feedback about the training. How do I do it?

We take all feedback seriously, as we strive for continuous improvement. We are happy to hear all your feedback!

You can leave your feedback via the contact form.

How do I know which training suits me or my organization the best?

We would be happy to help you choose the right course according to your personal or business needs. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Our training advisors are there to help whenever you have a question or you are hesitating which training suits you the best.

Contact us: info@gladwellacademy.com and we will get back to you in 2 business days.

I am interested in attending a course that is not in the schedule. What should I do?

If you are looking for a particular training session, consulting, coaching, or workshop that is not on our website, please reach out to our team. As we are working together with several partners worldwide, we might have a tailored solution.

Please get in touch with us to inquire about the possibilities. Via sales@gladwellacademy.com