The Board was founded by 10 editors who had long been active in national and international professional associations in scientific editing and publishing. They began working on the development of the certification program in the early 1980s. They were assisted by consultants in testing and by administrators of certification programs in other professions.
Membership now numbers in the hundreds and represents countries all over the world.
It resembles the standard tests used in many professions to certify practitioners. The program is designed to assure employers or clients of editors that a Board-certified editor has established a high level of credibility. More information about the certification process and the examination schedule is available on the Certification Information page. We have provided a more detailed description on the Diplomate Program page. Membership in BELS is not limited to only those with a degree or editorial experience in the life sciences.