Uni wins CMI Outstanding Innovation and Delivery Award

The University’s HR Staff Development Team has been named as the 2019 winner of the award bestowed by the Chartered Management Institute

THE team that is helping to ensure that the University of Huddersfield has the highest managerial standards in its sector has received a prestigious award from a leading professional organisation.

The University’s HR Staff Development Team has been named as the 2019 winner of the Outstanding Innovation and Delivery Award bestowed by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).  It was selected by an independent panel of international judges.

Danny Benton is the University’s Head of Staff Development and is playing a key role in designing and administering a sequence of study programmes for managers at the University so that they can achieve CMI’s Level 7 Award in strategic management and leadership and thereby gain chartered status.  In less than a year, 83 senior managers have successfully completed the process.

“The programme is based on a blended-learning approach, with workshops, online learning, tutorials and assessments,” said Mr Benton.  Candidates then make a presentation to him and the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan.  Professor Cryan was recently announced as the new Chair of the Board of Companions of the CMI and as a member of its Board of Trustees.

Some 110 middle managers at the University are now undertaking a new programme tailored to their roles, and they too will achieve chartered status by the summer.  Then a further 150 people managers will take part in the scheme.  The intention is that all staff with management responsibilities will become chartered.  The University of Huddersfield is the first higher education institution in the world to aim for this.

“The objective is to help give our leaders and managers authenticity and credibility.  When the learning is embedded, the University will be a better-run place,” said Mr Benton.  He added that he been contacted by several other universities, eager to learn more about the CMI programmes at Huddersfield, and there will be metrics available to demonstrate their effectiveness.

After chartered status has been achieved, managers must maintain it via a continuous professional development programme that Mr Benton has also devised.