Professional Practice Department Professional Practice Department

Mission

The Professional Practice Directorate (DEP) fosters a culture of leadership, trust, and synergy that takes an innovative, preventive, and interdisciplinary approach to addressing inquiries from civil society. It develops strategies to implement regulations governing professional practice so that it is dignified, excellent, efficient, and responsible for the benefit of Costa Rican society, the protection of life, the environment, and cultural heritage, and the proper use of resources for the country’s sustainable progress. It achieves all of the above through the development, implementation, and enforcement of ethical and technical standards; sustainable, fair, prompt, and thorough administrative processes; the hiring of qualified personnel; and the use of reliable, integrated, and timely information.

Vision

To become a Professional Practice Directorate (DEP) that serves various stakeholders with an innovative and interdisciplinary approach, provides verification, oversight, and consultation regarding professional practice through technological platforms, and guides, on the spot, to CFIA members to promote decorum, excellence, efficiency, and accountability in the services they provide, while also applying all available mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution in cases where differences between parties are identified, so that only cases that endanger life or the environment—or where clear evidence of malicious intent is established—are subject to fair, prompt, and thorough administrative procedures.

The Professional Practice Department has four functional areas to achieve its mission and vision.