Electronics get ahead in professional development
Posted on 25 May 2001
The IEE's new endorsement service is aimed at university departments, colleges and commercial organisations which offer learning opportunities such as conferences, seminars and distance learning packages. Endorsement is offered to organisations which satisfy the IEE that they have appropriate quality assurance procedures in place for CPD activities. This means ensuring that courses and events are managed to a high professional standard, consistently well presented and accurately described. All providers are required to abide by a code of practice.
This service complements the IEE's ongoing role in accreditation of degree courses and company professional development schemes. Now that the pilot is completed, the scheme is opening up to other course providers.
The Department of Electronics has been a provider of short courses for industry since 1982. Its CPD programme has developed to incorporate specialised subjects supported by the Department's research activities. In 1995 the Department also introduced an EPSRC-funded Integrated Graduate Development Scheme (IGDS) comprising a part time modular MSc programme in Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) and in Radio Frequency Communications. An associated postgraduate diploma was introduced in 1999, and the programme is currently undergoing further expansion. The Department's CDP programme was linked to the IEE firstly as an Approved Provider and then as a Registered Provider in previous schemes.
The Department's CPD Programme attracts attendees and specialist presenters from around the world. Annually, around fifty events take place in the form of workshops, short courses, modules of the IGDS programme, conferences and in-house courses presented for industry in the UK and abroad. Set alongside the Department's undergraduate school of 350 students, the Department typically provides CPD for around 750 delegates each year.
Professor Andy Tyrrell, Head of Department said, "The IEE selected us because of our strong relationship with industry and our CPD track record with the IEE. Our reputation for quality is demonstrated by our IEE Accreditation record and our 24 out of 24 for the Subject Review."