Canada's Leading Director Education Program Launches in Ottawa

Over 3,800 directors have graduated from the 12-day course over the past 10 years

OTTAWA, Oct. 8, 2015 /CNW/ - The Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), Canada's national association for directors and boards, today announced that its flagship course, the Directors Education Program (DEP), is expanding to Ottawa. With the latest expansion the DEP will now be offered in 10 cities across Canada, making it the leading national course for experienced directors.

Jointly developed by the ICD and University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, the DEP will be offered in collaboration with the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa. The first module will begin on April 24, 2016 and the application deadline is February 4, 2016.

The 12-day course is delivered over four three-day modules. Participants learn best practices and knowledge about emerging governance trends through a series of lectures, case studies and board simulations. A combination of practical learning and classroom discussions help directors hone their skills to be more effective in discharging their duties and adding value to the organizations they serve.

"The DEP is unique in that the emphasis is on shared learning among peers in the classroom. Having a dynamic and diverse community of directors and business leaders in Ottawa will elevate the classroom discussions. Furthermore, in our experience having a high calibre of senior directors, acclaimed faculty and experts results in meaningful dialogue on the issues that are relevant to directors serving on Crown corporations, for-profit and not-profit organizations in the region," said Christian Buhagiar, Vice President of Education at the Institute of Corporate Directors.

"The role of the board director has increasingly become more complex and time intensive," said Richard Powers, national academic director of the DEP at University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. "By staying ahead of the curve directors can bring more value to the boards they serve, as well as make meaningful contributions to the advancement of good directorship."

"We are proud to host the DEP Program to help better equip directors serving on the boards of corporations and community institutions in Ottawa," said François Julien, Dean of the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa. "This partnership with the ICD offers us an invaluable opportunity to support Ottawa's economy through building strong governance and leadership."

To date, more than 3,800 directors have completed the program, of which 3,000 hold the world-recognized ICD.D designation, which denotes a director's commitment to excellence in the boardroom through ongoing learning and development. Notable graduates of the DEP include Tiff Macklem, Dean of University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and Coralie Lalonde, founder and CEO of Katsura Investments.

About the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program
The Directors Education Program was jointly developed by the ICD and Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto to help directors strengthen their skills, expand their knowledge and be more effective in creating and protecting value for the organizations and corporations they serve. The DEP is taught by leading business faculty, experienced directors and governance experts at top business schools in Canada: University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, Asper School of Business at University of Manitoba; Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University; Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University; Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan; Haskayne School of Business at University of Calgary; Levene Graduate School of Business, University of Regina; Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University; Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa; and the University of Alberta School of Business. Since the launch of the DEP, over 3,800 directors have completed the program. To learn more, visit www.icd.ca/DEP.  

About The Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD)
The Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) is the definitive 'go-to' resource and voice for Canada's directors and boards in the for-profit, not-for-profit and Crown sectors.  As the national community for directors, the ICD is a not-for-profit, member-based association with more than 10,000 members and a network of 11 chapters across Canada. Representing the interests of directors, the ICD fosters the sharing of knowledge and wisdom through education, professional development programs and services, and thought leadership and advocacy to achieve the highest standard of directorship. For more information, please visit www.icd.ca.  

SOURCE Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD)

Media Contacts: Maliha Aqeel, Director, Communications, Institute of Corporate Directors, Tel: [phone], ext. 229, Email: [email protected]