A nationwide bid to
expand the successful adoption of UK town centre management to a wider
range of places includes the implementation of an online training academy
provided by knowledge systems specialist, MyKnowledgeMap (MKM).
The Institute of Place Management (IPM) is a new professional institute
tasked with developing and supporting the creation of sustainable formal
structures of place management. IPM is part of AGORA, a ?2.7m project
part-funded by the European Social Fund and led by Manchester
Metropolitan University Business School and the Association of Town
Centre Management.
Administrated by the Retail Enterprise Network (for whom MKM built its
Retail Academy), the IPM is also responsible for establishing
professional, internationally-recognised standards amongst all those
involved in the management, development and marketing of places.
York-based MKM is building an online academy for IPM. MKM is the UK's
leading supplier of infrastructure systems for national skill academies
that manage people needs, spanning day-to-day productivity to discovering
and achieving relevant qualifications within both private and local
government sector organisations.
In development for implementation on the IPM web site at
www.placemanagement.org, the e-Academy supports the management of
internal courses on centre management.
Its infrastructure is designed for use across any single or over a number
of subject areas and its sophisticated group-ware environment provides
collaborative training accessed by geographically dispersed users using
only a web browser to enable simultaneous teamwork and share training
resources.
The e-Academy integrates workshops, courses and libraries of e-learning,
online books and podcasts seamlessly. It can be used to manage
inductions, organise appraisals and deliver and document mandatory health
and safety training. It includes a complete self-assessment and
360-degree assessment system and tracks user progress.
The IPM e-Academy will incorporate a version of MKM?s Empower system to
allow its stakeholders to manage the product. Acting as a live virtual
community, the system enables project players to communicate, find
information as in an actual library environment, and organise complex
administrative and auditing tasks.
"Right now we are researching internationally the information required
for building the competency framework for place management," says
Director of Development Cathy Parker.
"From our findings, we can develop training and support for attainment of
an international professional qualification in a market that presently
constitutes many niche associations without the mass nor means to assist
its members in this way.
IPM UK membership launches in July 2007, in Australia in September, and
globally in January 2008.
"We?ll have some online support available at the UK launch," says Cathy.
"Member benefits will expand as we populate the site. Distance learning
for the inaugural introduction to place management qualification will be
available from September."
As director of the Retail Enterprise Network, Cathy worked with MKM on
the creation of its own Retail Academy.
"The experience provided me with a clear view of MKM?s capabilities so
that when the IPM was mooted, I could see quickly where they could play a
useful role," she says.
"The Retail Academy is a qualified success and provides a clear and
deliverable model that will similarly meet the needs of the IPM."
ends
Released May 2007 by BLP&PR. Contact: Peter Muir
c/o/ Whiteleaf Business Centre
Buckingham Industrial Park
Winslow MK18 3AF
UK
Tel 00 44 (0)1296 715228 Fax 00 44 (0)1296 715486
