UPEI Signs Learning Partnership Agreement to Improve Delivery of Training to Public Servants
A groundbreaking agreement that will improve the way training is delivered to federal and provincial public servants in PEI was signed on February 8 by representatives of government and academia. The agreement, the first of its kind in Canada, will bring accessible, affordable and relevant learning to public servants in Prince Edward Island
On hand for the signing were: Wade MacLauchlan, President of the University of Prince Edward Island; Alex MacAulay, President of Holland College; Janice Cochrane, President of the Canada School of the Public Service (CSPS); Dan Woodin, Second Vice-Chair of the PE.I Federal Council; Verna Bruce, Associate Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada; and Jim Ferguson, CEO of the P.E.I. Public Service Commission.
The partners will work in collaboration to achieve the objectives of the agreement, which are: to provide affordable and relevant training, development and learning opportunities to support a high-performing, professional public service; to utilize the training capacity of local learning institutions/organizations; and to increase access and participation of public servants to core and common learning offerings.
They will identify regional learning needs of federal and provincial public servants, determine the course content to meet these needs and identify trainers and subject matter experts. Each partner will also have a key specific role to play in accomplishing the objectives of the agreement. The Canada School of Public Service, as the common learning service provider for the Public Service of Canada, will determine evaluation criteria, provide curriculum, and monitor the quality and relevance of offerings.
The PEI Federal Council, which is made up of representatives from federal government departments and agencies in PEI who are dedicated to the retention and development of a high-performing, professional public service, will help determine regional federal learning needs. And as the major federal employer in PEI, Veterans Affairs Canada will contribute in identifying the regional learning needs specific to their employees.
Holland College will act as the lead for both UPEI and the College in being the point of contact for addressing these learning needs. A steering group, with representation from each of the six partners, will guide the development of course delivery. The Province of Prince Edward Island's focus in this partnership will be to explore synergies regarding core and common learning needs between federal and provincial public servants. This partnership will enhance current services provided to the Province by both Holland College and UPEI.
The agreement is in effect until March 31, 2007. For more information, contact Clive Keen, Director of the UPEI Centre for Life-long Learning, at 566-0440 or ckeen@upei.ca.
