McGill to deliver first comprehensive governance program offered in French
The McGill Faculty of Management and the ICD Corporate Governance College announced on July 7, 2004, the launch of the Directors Education Program in Montreal. The program, to be offered at McGill University starting in October 2004, will be the first comprehensive program on governance in the world to be delivered in French.
The program addresses the challenges directors face in today's rapidly changing business environment. Elements of the program include lectures and case studies on board strategy, functions and composition, financial reporting and auditing systems, maintaining good relations with management, and skills for effective decision making and communications within the boardroom.
Delivered by both professors and practitioners, the program will consist of four three-day training modules over seven months. Content will focus on theory, cases based on recent board activities, and discussion on current governance issues. While all program material will be bilingual, the majority of presentations will be conducted in French. Alfred Jaeger, Associate Dean, Masters Programs at the McGill Faculty of Management, will act as the Academic Director of the program.
"Corporate governance has to reinvent itself entirely," says Gerald Ross, Dean of the McGill Faculty of Management. "Being a board member is a much more serious commitment today than it has ever been, and keeping up is a growing challenge. Corporate governance demands more accountability and more specialized knowledge. McGill, as an innovative hub, is there to support directors in their lifelong learning process," explains Ross, who sits on the advisory board of the Quebec Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
The program is part of a national series of programs being launched. In November 2003, the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), with the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management, launched the ICD Corporate Governance College to offer the only comprehensive Director Education Program in Toronto. The first class, which included the Hon. Brian Tobin, Claude Lamoureux and other members of Canada's corporate elite, graduated on June 11, 2004. Haskayne School of Business in Calgary is also launching the program in English.
Who should attend
The ICD Corporate Governance College welcomes current and aspiring directors, business leaders and professionals with at least 10 years of business experience. Participants are drawn from the private, not-for-profit and public sectors. These individuals will come with a blend of functional experience in order to optimize the level of diversity in discussions.
The ICD Corporate Governance College mandate is to enlighten both experienced directors and next-generation directors on laws and current best practices in corporate governance, and to enhance board and corporate performance of Canadian companies in the domestic and global marketplace.
The McGill Faculty of Management, widely recognized for its innovative programs and global approach to management, attracts top students and faculty members from every continent. The Faculty is dedicated to lifelong learning and research on critical business issues such as risk management and corporate governance.