Hi, I've got the PMP last year (not the same as Prince 2 but anyway quite similar). Actually I've done self-study while working and then I've passed the exam at the very first attempt. Not really sure a training is going to be worth the money ... I guess you already have few years of experience as PM so all you need is probably to formalize what you already know. A couple of books and some dedicated hours afterwork will be enough ... maybe try to join (or create) a study group with your colleagues or with some glocals willing to get certified ;)

Cheers, Max

Hi C

I am Prince2 Practitoner qualified from the UK. I have used this methodology delivering UK Government projects for a number of years. 

I would disagree with some people in respect of similar PM frameworks. Each methi is unique with dedicated processes and terminolgy to follow. 

Due to the current economic crisis UK providers are offering discounted rates for the course at present. I used Parity Training near Liverpool Street station. I attended a week course and took the exam at the end.

I agree that reading books will help but it's not the same as actually understanding the framewotk and completing mock exam papers. They updated the practitioner exam by making it multiple choice, before that it was a 3 hour written examination! 

Hope that helps!

Cheers

Raj 

I am starting CAPM training in Lausanne soon.

Does anybody happen to have a CAPM Exam Prep book by Rita Mulcahy for sale?

You will find it very difficult, perhaps even impossible, to pass the Prince 2 exams without classroom training.  No amount of project management experience will help since the Prince 2 training and exams are heavily based on the "unusual" (I'm being kind) terms used throughout Prince 2, which are mostly different to what you will encounter in real life.  Even if you have worked on projects using Prince 2 you will find that most people use a subset of it so there will still be gaps in your knowledge.

You will also find that the admistration of the exams (the sole right of The APM Group) is slow and inefficient.

Having said all this; Prince 2 is very useful to know.  The useful parts of it, such as project structures and project initiation, are very useful and widely used. 

I wasn't able to take time off from my last company, but they agreed to pay for a self study course which was really good. You get a CD that takes you through the various themes, then excercises, questions as well as some mock exams, the actual Prince2 manual and some other bits and pieces. For the foundation it's not too bad i found, but for the practitioner you do need to put in the hours as its not easy to get through the exam in the time alloted. I managed to pass both using this, but they're not exactly free either. 

http://shop.ilxgroup.com/acatalog/PRINCE2.html

good luck!