The abbreviation DIWA stands for the „Diving Instructor World Association", founded in 1972. DIWA, the „Diving Instructor World Association", is an international organization for commercial diving instructors that was founded in 1972 with its headquarters in Germany.

The standards of the Diving Instructor World Association apply for technical and commercial diving. Their contents comply with the requirements codified in the European norms EN 14153 and EN 14413, as well as the ISO norms ISO 24801 und ISO 24802 ratified in 2007. A diving certificate accredited by a DIWA instructor is acknowledged on all five continents and is guarantor for safe and environment-friendly diving.

A brief overview of the most important DIWA certificates:
- DIWA Open Water Diver (OWD)

The classical beginner’s certificate that allows you to join a diving professional on escorted dives at up to twenty meters depth.
- DIWA Master Scuba Diver (MSD)

The classical advanced diver’s certificate that allows you to dive at up to forty meters depth with an equal diving partner.
- DIWA Chief Scuba Diver (CSD)

Allows you to guide groups of divers independently and at your own responsibility.
- DIWA Divemaster

Allows you to work at a diving center and assist a diving instructor. The DIWA Divemaster certificate is the pre-stage of DIWA Assistant Instructor and thus the first step toward a professional career in diving (see also: DIWA for Instructors). A DIWA membership is so much more than just an association membership. DIWA offers its associated diving instructors and diving schools many services that are particularly tailored for activities in commercial diving. Tolerance and development are more important to DIWA than any rulesets and stiff organizational structures could ever be. The following informs diving instructors who are interested in membership about a selection of interesting topics:

Active Support System

The association’s motto is "DIWA – Always At Your Side” and suggests that DIWA supports its associated diving instructors and diving schools in many different ways: