The Zambian Institute of Commercial Management (ZICM)

Dorcus House, Room 13, 2nd Floor, Ndola, Zambia.

We would ask all current and prospective ICM students in Zambia to note that ICM (UK) has no connection or relationship with the Zambian Institute of Commercial Management.

Those operating ZICM have previously been warned that they face a potential legal action for ‘Passing Off’.

If you pay any money to the ZICM you do so at your own risk.

Postgraduate Diploma in Management

Changes to assessment methods – March 2013

The following gives a summary of the revised assessment methods for Units on the Postgraduate Diploma in Management to be implemented for all exam entries for March 2013 and subsequent exam periods. Please note that from March 2013 all Units will be assessed by formal examinations. Where appropriate, supplementary material including Case Studies will be issued in advance of the examinations.

Unit assessment methods

1. Financial Decision Making: 3 hour Examination – 100%
2. Management of Change: 3 hour Examination – 100%
3. Operations Management: 3 hour Examination – 100%
4. People in Organisations: 3 hour Examination – 100%
5. International Marketing Strategy: 3 hour Examination – 100%
6. Contemporary Strategic Management: 3 hour Examination – 100%

In preparation for these examinations, where appropriate, a case study or other supplementary material (e.g. management accounts, descriptions of problems/issues, other pre-reading material) will appear on the ICM website two months before the examination date.

For some units, students will be allowed to take up to two pages (4 sides) of A4 notes containing notes and analysis of the pre-issued material into the examination. This will be clearly specified for each Unit in the pre-issued material, shown on the website, prior to the examination.

Purchasing Management Exam – December 2012 Series

Please inform all students who are undertaking the Examination of Purchasing Management under the December 2012 Examination Series that there has been a change in the date and time of their examination.

Purchasing Management will now be held on Friday 14th of December in the afternoon commencing at 2.00pm.

Group 1 Registration Fees from 1st January 2013

Please note that with effect from 1st January 2013 the Registration fee and the Registration Renewal fee for Group 1 Countries will be £50.00 Pounds Sterling.

Countries this will apply to are as follows:
Australasia
China
Europe & all EU Member States
Gulf States
Hong Kong
Malaysia
North America
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South America

HOME STUDY STUDENTS

Ten years ago we introduced a policy that we would not register or accept Examination Entries from Home Study students.

This decision was reached following a Review of the results obtained by those undertaking studies on their own at home.

We know and recognise that tuition fees at schools and colleges are a barrier to many young students and their families but without the support of teachers, in excess of 85% of Home Study students fail their examinations. This compares with fail rates of 36% for those studying at a school or college.

Our view is that for the Home Study student, the costs of entering and failing an examination is far too heavy a price to pay.

It demoralises the candidate and is a waste of both theirs and their sponsors hard earned money.

Dr A F Somerville-Ford
Chairman ICM

ICM Christmas and New Year business hours

The Institute of Commercial Management will be closed for business from Monday 24th December 2012 to 1st January 2013 and will reopen at 9.00 GMT on Wednesday 2nd of January 2013. We will be unable to accept Answer Scripts or Examination Entries during this period.

Please note that the Closing Date for the March 2013 Examinations is Wednesday 2nd January 2013.

December 2012 Examinations in Ghana

As the Ghanaian Government Elections will be held on the 7th of December 2012 please note that any students wishing to undertake examinations on this date will be unable to do so. All Examination entry forms received for Examinations on this date will be carried forward until the March 2013 Examination Series.

New Financial Compliance Regulations Credit Card Payments

New Financial Compliance Regulations have been introduced by the UK Regulator in order to protect individuals who pay for goods and services by credit card.

In order to ensure the security of personal information we are no longer able to accept fax or email copies of completed credit card forms.

You are however able to download the form from this website and forward it to us by post.

You can download the Credit Card Authorisation Form here.

Transcripts of ICM examination results

With effect from 1st July 2012 all students who wish to be issued with a transcript of their ICM examination results will be required to pay a fee of £10.00 Pounds Sterling for each course they have undertaken, regardless of whether the transcript is for personal use or to be forwarded directly to a College or University. You may request a transcript by forwarding a letter including your student identification number, which course the transcript is for, the contact name and name and address of the College or University, together with your payment. Please also remember to include your current personal address if this document is to be forwarded directly to yourself.

Payment Methods:

Sterling Bank Draft

Sterling Money Order

Sterling Postal Order

Sterling Cheque (if drawn on a UK Bank)

Sterling Cash (this needs to be registered – this option is available in the UK ONLY)

Credit Card – you may download this form from our website http://www.icm.ac.uk/forms/. (Please be aware there is a £5.00 Pounds Sterling Administration Charge and can only be accepted as a hard copy by post)

Cheques should be made payable to ICM

Western Union – if you wish to use Western Union the payee’s name is ‘Alistair Somerville-Ford’. It is ESSENTIAL that you provide us with the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) you are given by Western Union. If payment is made for examinations, the Money Transfer Control Number MUST be clearly written on your examination entry form. If you propose to send your fees through Western Union please confirm by email to info@icm.ac.uk that payment has been made by this method.

Please note that it is not ICM policy to provide our Bank account details, and you are therefore requested to use one of the above accepted payment methods.

Single Subject Diplomas as part of a Professional Course

Please be aware that the following subjects are not available to be undertaken as Single Subject Diplomas and can only be undertaken as part of a Professional Course.

Associate Degree Research Project:

• Associate Degree in Accounting & Finance
• Associate Degree in Business Administration
• Associate Degree in Business Development
• Associate Degree in Communication Studies
• Associate Degree in Hospitality Management
• Associate Degree in Human Resource Development
• Associate Degree in Legal Studies
• Associate Degree in Management Studies
• Associate Degree in Marketing
• Associate Degree in Project Management
• Associate Degree in Purchasing & Supply Management
• Associate Degree in Supply Chain Management
• Associate Degree in Tourism Management & Development

Post Graduate Diploma in Management subjects:

• Financial Decision Making (Assignment & Examination)
• Management of Change (Assignment & Examination)
• Operations Management
• People in Organisations
• International Marketing Strategy
• Contemporary Strategic Management

Graduate Diploma in Business Management subject:

• Management Project

Graduate Diploma in Commercial Management subject:

• Commercial Management Project

Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing subject:

• Programming Project

Advanced Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing subject:

• Feasibility Study

Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma & Graduate Diploma International Relations programme subjects:

• International Relations
• Political Science
• Public Relations
• International Organisations
• English Language
• Negotiation
• Diplomacy
• Foreign Policy Analysis
• Information Technology Applications
• The United Nations
• Public International Law
• International Language

Graduate Diploma in Tourism Management programme subject:

• Tourism Management Project

Graduate Diploma in Business Management

ICM is pleased to announce the launch of the ICM Graduate Diploma in Business Management.

This Graduate Diploma is a Level 6 Award on the UK National Qualifications Framework and is equivalent to a BA (Hons) degree.

Click here to find out more.

International Relations

Over the course of the past forty years I have travelled to, and worked in a great many countries.

Obviously, many of these overseas trips have been on behalf of the Institute but a great many others have been in my capacity as either an Advisor or Expert to one or more of the major International Development Agencies.

During my years of working with both International Agencies and NGOs I have travelled to war zones and have seen both civil unrest as well as death and destruction in all its forms. I’ve visited detention camps, bombed hospitals, ruined villages and towns and seen the pain of ordinary men, women and children with no food, water or medical supplies who have lived in fear of what the next morning might bring to their doors.

Today, we are faced with far too many humanitarian problems as well as instability in far too many countries.

Problems and disputes between nations and between ethnic and other groups can only be resolved by dialogue, discussion and negotiation and these are skills which have to be learnt.

There is a need for many more young people to engage in international affairs and I am therefore very pleased to announce the launch, in June 2012, of a new ICM programme in International Relations.

I have no doubt that it will produce some great diplomats and further the cause of social cohesion.

An Introduction to Dr Henri Stellman, Chief Examiner

Two new programmes – Retail Management and Sports Management

ICM are pleased to announce the launch of two new programmes, one in Retail Management and one in Sports Management. Both programmes can be studied at Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels.

More information can be found on the specific course pages:

• Retail Management – Certificate, Diploma & Advanced Diploma
• Sports Management – Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma

Student Prizes and Awards

Our congratulations go to Juliet Ngwenya from Speciss College, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, who achieved 100% in her December 2011 ‘Fundamentals of the Hospitality Industry’ paper. Juliet will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement together with a cheque for £100.00.

Certificates of Achievement and cheques for £50.00 will also be sent to Mburu Margaret Wangari, Maingi Esther Ndunge, Mengo Thomas Mjala and Kagichu Eric Wachira from Air Travel & Related Studies Centre in Nairobi.

All four achieved Distinctions in their Hospitality examinations.

POSH Education, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

All students in Nigeria are advised to avoid all and any contact with POSH Education, a training company based in Lagos.

It has come to our attention that the organisation has been issuing forged ICM ‘Continuing Professional Development’ certificates to students undertaking Event Management courses.

ICM Study Aids

The first four Study Aids covering Business Management & Administration, Finance & Accounting, International Business Communications and Marketing are now available, free of charge, for Registered ICM Student Members.

You can access this material here – http://www.icm.ac.uk/student-resources/study-aids/

Removal of Syllabi

From June 2012 the following Single Subject Diplomas will no longer be offered:

Certificate in Health & Safety Practice (2004)
Employee Safety, Behaviour & Ergonomics
Safety Management, Policies & Procedures
Safety, Health & Welfare Legislation

The last examination for all of the above subjects will be June 2012.

Recognition of ICM Graduate Diploma Awards by the Higher Education Commission in Pakistan

The Director General for Accreditation and Attestation of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission has confirmed that the HEC now formally recognises ICM Graduate Diploma Awards (Level 6 on the UK National Qualifications Framework).

Chartered universities and degree awarding institutions in the public and private sectors in Pakistan will be permitted to offer tuition leading to the Graduate Diploma examinations as will those institutions registered with their Provincial Education Departments.

The ICM Graduate Diploma Awards have been assessed as being equivalent to Pakistan’s four year Bachelors degree.

Dr Alistair Somerville-Ford, the ICM Chairman, confirmed that this is an important step forward for many of the 6,000 Graduate Diploma students from Pakistan who, over the past ten years, have studied for an ICM Graduate Level 6 Award in the UK and Ireland whose Awards will now be recognised in their own country.

Further details may be found on the HEC website:

http://hec.gov.pk/InsideHEC/Divisions/QALI/QualityAssurance/UniversityAccreditation/ForeignCollaboration/Documents/List%20of%20institutes%20with%20foreign%20collaboration-14122011.pdf

Details of ICM’s Approved Centre’s in Pakistan can be found here:

http://www.icm.ac.uk/pakistan/

ICM CEO judges National Business Awards

In October 2011, ICM Chief Executive Tom Thomas was once again a judge at the prestigious National Business Awards (NBA), previously dubbed ‘the UK’s Business Oscars’ by one recent Prime Minister.

Tom was part of the judging panel responsible for selecting a winner in the ‘Growth Strategy of the Year’ award. This sought after award, sponsored by Blackberry, is open to companies in both the public and private sectors. The award goes to the organisation most able to demonstrate organic growth, with outstanding levels of sales, profit and market share improvement.

Companies are assessed over seven core criteria, with different weightings placed on the categories. The categories include growth, innovation, engagement (staff & customer), leadership and ethics.

The judging panel consisted of members from a wide and diverse business background. In total, ten presentations were judged from the shortlisted companies.

The winner of the 2011 award will be announced at the ceremony on 8th November 2011 at the Grosvenor Hotel, London. Last year, the ceremony was opened by a special message from Prime Minister David Cameron, with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg presenting an inspiring speech.

Visit the NBA website to find out more about this award and many others, www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk.

ICM sponsors MA prize

From left to right: Prof Tom Thomas, Jo Parrish, Orianne Tyndale and Mike Wilman (Course leader for the MA Marketing programme)

Each year ICM sponsors a number of awards for the MA Marketing Management programme at Solent University. This year, ICM Chief Executive Tom Thomas presented awards to two students at the University for the Best Consulting Project on the course.

Both students worked together on a Leprosy Mission project, gaining an extremely impressive overall mark of 89%, believed to be the highest mark ever awarded in this unit.

The prizes were awarded to Jo Parrish, a Solent student since January 2011, and Orianne Tyndale, who commenced her studies in October 2010.

Jo has been studying on the MA Marketing Management course whilst working full-time as a Marketing Officer at Solent University. Assisting with the schools’ liaison programme, Jo is actively involved in hosting visits from sixth formers and college students, as part of the student recruitment process.

Orianne has managed to combine full-time studies with looking after a husband and two young children. Prior to joining the course, Orianne worked as the External Communications Manager for the prestigious independent school, Bedales Schools in Petersfield. Before joining Bedales, she spent time fundraising for the charity, VSO, both in London and in Zambia. Orianne has also travelled extensively around the world, working in several different countries.

Accredited MBA Fair London

Fast tracking your career, multiplying your earnings, building a network of business leaders:

Is an MBA right for you?

Find out at the Accredited MBA Fair

First 100 attendees receive a FREE guide on how to choose an MBA worth £6.99

Saturday 22 October, opening times: 14.00-17.00

For a chance to meet admissions staff from over 30 top business schools,
participate in FREE briefing sessions on how to choose a school,
discover what commitment is required for an MBA programme, and get advice on taking the GMAT GRE® and TOEFL® tests, come to the Accredited MBA Fair London on Saturday, 22 October 2011.

Held at the Park Plaza Victoria, 239 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 1EQ, London

All the schools exhibiting at the Fair run MBA programmes accredited by the Association of MBAs, the international authority on business education. The Association of MBAs accreditation service is the global standard for all MBA, DBA and MBM programmes and has accredited 186 business schools in over 70 countries.

More information can be found here.

From January 2012 the ‘Agency’ subject will no longer be offered

The single subject Agency, within the Legal Studies group, will no longer be available for study or examination by students in 2012.

The last sitting for this subject will take place during the December 2011 examination series. Any students studying Agency who wish to gain the award will need to pass the examination before or during the December 2011 examination series.

ICM regularly update and maintain single subjects and courses to cater for the demand by students and centres around the world.

New Student Registration Form

In order to meet the challenges presented by our continued growth, in early 2010 we introduced a number of new and sophisticated IT systems. We also changed the method of processing Student Registration applications.

Following constructive feedback from both Students and Centres we have now streamlined the Student Registration process even further, making it both quicker and easier for students to register with the Institute which will enable us to dispatch Student Cards within a much shorter timeframe.

An important update is a dedicated space on the Registration form for a passport sized photograph. The photograph should be attached to the front of the form, in the space provided, using clear tape (photographs should not be stapled or glued to the form).

Students are advised to print their names on the reverse of their photographs before attaching the photograph to the form.

Registration and Examination Entry forms are only available from your ICM Approved Centre. Please contact them for further information.

Students should note that if they wish to register for an ICM Advanced Diploma, Graduate Diploma or post graduate Award they must attach copies of all the qualifications they hold by completing page 2 of the Student Registration form “Current Education”.

New programmes in Managing Health and Safety

ICM is launching two new qualifications to enhance the existing courses in Health and Safety. Growing awareness of the importance of health and safety in the workplace and the increasing legislation and regulations around this area has made this an important and vital sector for education and training. These programmes consist of the following:-

ICM Certificate in Managing Health and Safety

This level 4 qualification consists of four units:

1. Essentials of Health & Safety Management
2. Working Practices, Hazards and Controls
3. Working Environment and Occupational Health
4. Accident and Emergency Procedures

ICM Diploma in Managing Health and Safety

This level 5 qualification consists of four units:

1. Framework for Successful Health and Safety Management
2. Promoting a Positive Health and Safety Culture
3. Principals of Control
4. Effective Leadership of Health and Safety

These new Health and Safety programmes are vocational qualifications that will serve as an excellent route for those who ultimately seek full professional status. These qualifications will provide first class underpinning knowledge for progress to degrees in Health and Safety and related business areas.

The first examinations for these new qualifications will take place in June 2011. The Handbook for these Awards can be found under course handbooks.

ICM signs exclusive deal in India

The ICM Chairman, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, and Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas, visited New Delhi to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with Frankfinn, India’s premier vocational training organisation.

The new deal enables ICM to accredit a range of programmes delivered by Frankfinn in 100 centres across India in the area of Aviation, Hospitality and Tourism.  Frankfinn have plans to expand the range of courses being delivered and intend to open centres in other countries including those in the Middle East, Africa and South-East Asia.

Dr Ford commented; “This is an important link for us in India and will lead to a further expansion of ICM programmes across the sub-continent. ICM is proud to be associated with Frankfinn and will certify Certificate, Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma courses in related areas.”

A formal press conference was held to announce this deal on 23^rd November in New Delhi.  ICM was represented by Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, Prof. Tom Thomas and Mr Ashok Naidu, ICM coordinator in India.  Frankfinn was represented by Mr K.S. Kohli, Chairman, and Mr R. Kohli, Executive Director and other senior staff.

The Frankfinn Chairman, Mr Kohli said, “Frankfinn has a national reputation for the highest quality training coupled with meticulous service levels.  The company has always ensured progression paths for its trainees, with world leaders in the field of higher education and it is delighted to be in a position to offer ICM’s international certification to all its successful trainees.

Prof Tom Thomas commented, “I am pleased to be involved in this collaboration.  ICM is working hard to ensure a range of progression routes from Frankfinn qualifications into degree and postgraduate programmes in the UK and overseas.”

More details of Frankfinn programmes certified by ICM will be available on the ICM website shortly.

New programmes in Aviation, Hospitality and Tourism

ICM has entered into an exclusive worldwide tie-up with Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training, for accrediting all the following vocational courses in the subject area of Aviation, Hospitality & Travel Management and certifying Frankfinn First Impression training programmes. Frankfinn is a leading institute in training and development with the largest network of training centers in this field across India with additional operations in Dubai, Mauritius & Hong Kong.

Frankfinn has repeatedly featured in the prestigious Limca Book of Records for its excellent cabin crew placement track record. In fact thousands of Frankfinn students are working as cabin crew in various reputed airlines across the world besides many more thousands Frankfinnians working as ground staff in airlines, hotels, hospitality, travel and reputable service sector organisations.

ICM is proud to be associated with Frankfinn. ICM will certify Frankfinn courses as Certificate, Diploma & Post Graduate Diplomas equivalent to Levels 5 & 7 in the UK National Qualifications Framework, enabling direct entry for Frankfinn students into year 2 of relevant degree programmes for Level 5 courses and entry onto appropriate Masters degree programmes for Level 7 courses.

ICM shall ensure tie-ups with established colleges and universities in UK and other countries in the world for progression of Frankfinn students to relevant degree and postgraduate degree programmes.

Frankfinn Vocational Training Courses

The following list indicates the first batch of programmes to be certified by ICM in collaboration with Frankfinn:-

1. FRANKFINN DIPLOMA IN AVIATION HOSPITALITY AND TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
Course Duration - One Year (Part Time- 2 Hours a Day, 5 Days a Week)
NQF Framework Level - Level 5
ICM Qualification Title: ICM Diploma in Aviation, Hospitality and Travel Management

2. FRANKFINN CERTIFICATE COURSE IN AVIATION, HOSPITALITY AND TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
Course Duration - Nine months (Part Time- 2 Hours a Day, 5 Days a Week)
NQF Framework Level – Level 5
ICM Qualification Title: ICM Certificate in Aviation, Hospitality and Travel Management

3. FRANKFINN CERTIFICATE COURSE IN HOSPITALITY, TRAVEL AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
Course Duration -Six months (Part Time- 2 Hours a Day, 5 Days a Week)
NQF Framework Level - Level 5
ICM Qualification Title: ICM Certificate in Hospitality, Travel and Customer Service

4. FRANKFINN CERTIFICATE COURSE IN AVIATION AND HOSPITALITY SERVICES
Course Duration -Four months (Part Time- 2 Hours a Day, 5 Days a Week)
NQF Framework Level - Level 7
ICM Qualification Title: ICM Postgraduate Diploma in Aviation and Hospitality Services

5. FRANKFINN CERTIFICATE COURSE IN AIRPORT GROUND SERVICES
Course Duration - Three months (Part Time- 2 Hours a Day, 5 Days a Week)
NQF Framework Level - Level 7
ICM Qualification Title: ICM Postgraduate Diploma in Airport Ground Services

FRANKFINN FIRST IMPRESSION TRAINING PROGRAMMES/ COURSES

ICM has also agreed to certify Frankfinn Training programmes imparting training for creation of strong and indelible First Impression, named as ‘First Impression’. Further details of these programmes will be announced.

Interested in polishing your existing skills and learning some new ones along the way?

Interested in polishing your existing skills and learning some new ones along the way?

Is it time you put yourself in the frame?

You can learn something new everyday! Get ready to come aboard with Arts & Business for a journey into an imaginative and creative world. One with new angles and fresh approaches that not only inspire creative thinking but guarantee to transform the way you work!

The Arts & Business professional development programmes ‘Board Bank’ and ‘Young Professionals on Arts Boards’ help participants see things differently. Funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland A&B get top talent from the private sector involved at the sharp end of the arts by joining the board of a cultural organisation, where they contribute business skills, energy and expertise – and get a lot in return.

Working with other high flying professionals in arts leadership can rapidly advance personal and career development, and is a highly rewarding way to engage with Northern Ireland’s fantastic cultural sector and to put something back into the community by delivering on personal and CSR goals. Gaining experience as a non-executive director or trustee further develops key skills including: strategic management, leadership, Influence, problem solving, creative thinking, confidence building, sense of citizenship, networks and relationships.

To date over 5,000 business people have been placed as advisors and board members throughout the UK, all seizing the opportunity to influence the cultural life of their community, connect with creative people, and enhance their leadership and governance experience.

Both ‘Board Bank’ and ‘Young Professionals on Arts Boards’ include an interview and consultation session, governance training, a matching service, networking events, and on-going support from a dedicated manager at Arts & Business. The ‘Young Professionals on Arts Boards’ programme is aimed at the UK’s brightest corporate prodigies (aged 18-30), and in addition they also benefit from guidance by experienced mentors and a Board Buddy scheme.

Is it time you put yourself in the frame? If so get ready to take the leap into a new learning adventure, contact A&B – a National Training Award Winning organisation, to find out how you can become a non-executive Director, expand your horizons and develop your networks go to www.artsandbusiness.org.uk/northernireland or call the A&B office for a creative conversation on 028 9073 5150.

Graduation ceremony at the AUCE

Staff and dignatories at the graduation

Dr Amjad Naboulsi, President of the University, presenting the awards

Professor Tom Thomas, Chief Executive of ICM attended a graduation ceremony at the American university of Culture & Education (AUCE) in Beirut, Lebanon.

Students were awarded Bachelors degrees in Business, Fine Arts and Computer Science and a large cohort received MBA awards.  The presentation was led by Dr Amjad Naboulsi, President and Founder of the University and Dr Nick Kyritsis also attended on behalf of ICM.

Tom Thomas was guest of honour at this event and delivered a speech congratulating students and staff

Prof Tom Thomas delivering a speech at the ceremony

This excellent outdoor ceremony was held in Beirut at one of the AUCE campuses and attended by almost 1,000 people.  In the evening guests and dignitaries attended a gala dinner to celebrate the graduation and the gaining of BAC accreditation for the institution.

ICM has recently developed strong links with the AUCE and accredit a range of Diplomas and qualifications including the AUCE Freshman programme.

Tom Thomas said, “The AUCE is an excellent organisation with dedicated staff. 

The AUCE President and senior staff receive formal recognition of BAC accreditation presented by Dr Nick Kyritsis

New Post Graduate Award

The ICM Post Graduate Certificate in Management is now fully accredited by Ofqual as a Level 7 qualification on the UK Qualifications and Credit Framework. This 60 credit qualification is part of a suite of post graduate programmes currently being developed by ICM.

The ICM Post Graduate Certificate in Management is awarded on completion of any three units from the following list:

• Financial Decision Making
• International Marketing Strategy
• Operations Management
• People in Organisations
• Management of Change
• Contemporary Strategic Management

Successful completion of all six units shown above leads to the award of Post Graduate Diploma in Management.

ICM is currently in discussion with a number of universities to formalise entry routes with exemptions into appropriate Masters degree programmes. More details of these progresion routes will be published on our website in the near future.

ICM Approved Centres wishing to offer this programme should contact the Institute for further details.

ICM Post Graduate Diploma in Management

This is the first of a series of post graduate programmes being developed by ICM. The new Post Graduate Diploma in Management consists of 120 credits of Masters level units in areas including Marketing, Personnel, Finance, Strategy, Management of Change and Operations Management. This qualification has been fully accredited by the UK government accreditation body Ofqual.

This programme will provide the opportunity for holders to obtain direct entry into Masters courses (such as the MBA) with a range of exemptions to be given. Masters programmes usually consist of 180 credits. Thus, for example, a student with the ICM Post Graduate Diploma in Management may only be required to complete the final third of the full Masters course in order to obtain an MBA qualification. The precise number of exemptions given will be subject to individual university requirements and more information on specific progression routes will be available shortly on our website.

You can download the Post Graduate Diploma in Management handbook here.

School Delisted – Global Investors University (GIU), Republic of Cameroon

Global Investors University (GIU) has been delisted as an ICM Approved Centre with effect from 19 May 2010, following a centre visit by Mr Emmanuel Okekearu, ICM’s Country Coordinator for Nigeria, which revealed that GIU was a fraudulent enterprise.

GIU is therefore not authorised to teach or market ICM subjects or courses, register students, nor display the ICM logo.

Students are advised not to have any dealings with Mr Dennis Nyameca Onyama, or his associates.

Pakistan Centre introduces tuition fee payback scheme

Western Business School (WBS), ICM’s Approved Centre in Lahore-Pakistan, has introduced a 100% Tuition Fee Payback facility to ICM students upon completion of their studies.

This has been made possible due to the recent collaboration of WBS with Dawood Family Takaful Limited Bank (DFTL).

There will be no extra financial burden on students. WBS will sacrifice 30% of its tuition fee, every year, to the DFTL Bank as a contribution. After five years duration, DFTL will pay back 100% of the tuition fee amount paid by the student for their study at the Institute.

Even if students do not withdraw their amount at this time, they will get a bonus every year on their actual tuition fee.

This is a unique type of facility introduced by the WBS to ICM students, and is intended to help them utilise the refunded amount for the purpose of setting up a small business or to continue their higher studies.

ICM’s Regional Director, M. Moazam Shahbaz, witnessed the signing ceremony between WBS & DFTL.

For more information about Western Business School in Pakistan, visit: www.wbs.edu.pk

ICM’s Pakistan Regional Director appointed as Joint Secretary for new association

ICM’s Regional Director for Pakistan, M. Moazam Shahbaz, has been appointed as Joint Secretary for a new organisation called the Association of All Pakistan Skill Development Institutes (AAPSDI).

Launched last week, the purpose of AAPSDI is to promote vocational education in Pakistan through awareness campaigns, industry liaison, capacity building of technical and vocational training institutes and raise issues related to vocational education.

AAPSDI will work to achieve the appropriate local and foreign recognition of different vocational qualification awards offered in Pakistan. It will also work to standardise the vocational qualification curriculum for all Skill Development Institutes – for which purpose AAPSDI has contacted ICM as the primary source – a partnership into which ICM is pleased to enter.

Due to the regional efforts of ICM for the promotion and recognition of technical and vocational education in Pakistan, M. Moazam Shahbaz will play a key role in the new organisation as the Joint Secretary.

Dr. Izhar Ahmed Khan, CEO of the Professional Institute of Pakistan – one of ICM’s Approved Centres – has been unanimously elected to the position of Chairman.

Support for the AAPSDI has been strong – after its first meeting with the heads of over 100 Skill Development Institutes from across Pakistan, all have agreed to come on-board as members.

For more information on the AAPSDI and ICM in Pakistan, contact Moazam Shahbaz at mshahbaz@icm.ac.uk

Centralised examinations in Zambia – commencing June 2010

ICM is pleased to announce the centralisation of examinations in Zambia.

This arrangement will commence with the June 2010 Exam Series.

The centralised locations are:

Lusaka and surrounding areas - Evelyn Hone College
Ndola and surrounding areas - Zamtel Training College.

Please note, there are a minimal number of locations where students will continue to sit ICM Examinations in their ICM Approved Centres. These locations are:

Chipata, Kabwe, Kasama, Mansa, Mazabuka, Solwezi.

All other Centres are required to attend exams at their centralised location.

Examination Papers will only be sent to the Centralised venues – or to the Approved Centres which are located in the towns listed above – so please ensure you sit your examinations in the correct venue.

If you have any queries, please contact us immediately at info@icm.ac.uk.

We wish you every success in the forthcoming examinations.

MA graduate wins ICM prize for excellence

Sarah Dunlop receives the ICM prize for “Best Part Time Student” from ICM Chief Executive Professor Tom Thomas.

A graduate from the MA Marketing Management programme at Southampton Solent University has been awarded an ICM prize for ‘Best Part Time Student’.

ICM has sponsored a prize at the University for a number of years, and felt that this year’s recipient – Sarah Dunlop – achieved an excellent standard in all aspects of the Masters course.

Sarah currently works for the Southampton Business School’s administration team and previously spent many years in the commercial sector working for Marks and Spencer Customer Services as well as running her own businesses.

Prior to her completion of the MA, Sarah obtained a first degree in Arts and Musicology and it was this interest that led her to focus her MA Marketing Management dissertation on the ways in which museums communicate with the public and how successful they are in widening participation in museum attendance and engagement.

Coupled with such a strong dissertation, Sarah’s hard work throughout her studies led her to be awarded an overall grade of Distinction.

She now hopes to continue her studies by researching for a PhD at Southampton Solent University; ICM wishes her all the best with her continued learning.

ICM’s sponsorship is part of our continued work in developing education and training around the world, encouraging good practice and recognising excellence at all levels.

ICM Members invited to Global Learning Academy Conference

The Institute of Commercial Management is pleased to announce a partnership with the Global Learning Academy Conference, being held in South Africa 10 – 12 May 2010.

ICM members are invited to take advantage of this unique opportunity to attend the Global Learning Academy Conference in Johannesburg, hosted by Salvo Global, with a unique discount code exclusively available to our professional members. Conference participation is strictly by invitation only, in order to preserve the quality of the event’s networking encounters.

Top global learning executives across all major industry sectors will be attending the conference, with confirmed speakers from Airports Company South Africa, EDCON ZA, Great Basin Gold Limited ZA, Jumeirah Group U.A.E, MTN Group ZA and many more.

Global Learning Academy 2010 will showcase interactive sessions on building and sustaining a successful corporate academy. The result is a high-level business platform to realise the need to restructure and revive your organisational learning and development functions post-crisis; providing tools and techniques to creatively blend working, learning and giving.

The conference also offers an exclusive chance to develop business relationships and network between industry peers, and leading learning product, service and information providers from some of the world’s most influential businesses and organisations.

ICM members will have already received the unique discount code, which gives members a discount of $400 off the regular price, in an email in the past week. Members will also receive a further two emails containing the code in upcoming months. If you are an ICM member and have not received the discount code, please email membership@icm.ac.uk.

For more information about the Global Learning Academy Conference or to book your place, visit: www.glaconference.com

Change to Student Registration

In order to manage our very large student numbers and the quarterly examinations it has become necessary for us to introduce very sophisticated IT systems and to change the existing student registration process.

Currently, only students undertaking Professional programmes are required to become Registered Student Members, however, with effect from January 2010 it will also be necessary for all Single Subject candidates to also become Registered Student Members. Registration and Examination Entry forms are only available from your ICM Approved Centre. Please contact them for further information.

In 2010 we will be introducing a range of new benefits for all ICM students. These will include Student Cards with photographs, free personal email accounts and access to special resource and study materials.

ICM headquarters moves to Ringwood

ICM has moved to new premises in Ringwood, Hampshire on the south coast of the UK.

After 17 years in the historic town of Christchurch, the Institute of Commercial Management is moving to the nearby market town of Ringwood.

A vibrant and thriving hub of activity, Ringwood is the ideal location to base ICM’s global headquarters. Situated on the south coast of England and less than two hours drive away from London, ICM is well-placed to maintain strong links with the city and remain connected to the business capital of the UK.

Despite many ongoing pressures on organisations across the world due to the economic downturn, ICM has experienced its business activity increase exponentially in its thirty years of operation. Last year saw the largest number of students sitting for ICM examinations; Membership numbers have also seen a strong and steady growth.

In recent years, ICM has been operating out of two separate offices. However, thanks to the new premises, ICM is able to consolidate its operations and house all departments in one building – helping improve efficiency and cohesion.

Tom Thomas, Chief Executive of ICM, said: ‘ICM is going from strength to strength and this relocation has been timed perfectly with key advancements in our technical and administration methods.

‘Real progress has been made to our examination processing, making us even more efficient – and the office move really complements the changes that have already been made.’

We have taken all the necessary precautions to ensure a smooth transition so students and Centres should experience no disruption as we move to new premises.

ICM’s new address, where all correspondence should now be directed, is:

ICM House
Castleman Way
Ringwood
Hampshire
England
BH24 3BA

ICM’s web and email addresses remain the same:
www.icm.ac.uk and info@icm.ac.uk

The telephone and fax numbers also remain unchanged:
Tel: +44 (0)1202 490555
Fax: +44 (0)1202 490666

Message from the Chairman

The death of Professor Derek Channon Gladwell OBE, MA, FHCIMA, FRSA

I have the sad task of informing you of the death of our President, Derek Gladwell, who passed away on the 26th August 2009. Derek died in hospital after a prolonged stay in Sheffield Northern General.
 
Derek was a great friend and a strong supporter of the Institute.

Despite being an outstanding Cambridge graduate and a Churchill Scholar, with many career opportunities open to him, he had a particular interest in both people and hospitality and hotel management became his chosen career path. He learnt his trade from the ground up starting his working life, sixty years ago, as a kitchen porter in the George V in Paris.

One of his great beliefs was that it is not possible to manage either people or any activity really well, unless you have practical experience of every aspect of your chosen industry.
 
Moving from hotel to hotel and department to department, he ended his hotel management career as the GM of The Ritz Hotel in London before moving into the field of higher education.

He finished his working life as the Emeritus Professor of Hospitality Management at Sheffield Hallam University.

I worked with Derek for many years on a range of EU and WTO funded International Projects and was privileged to benefit from his extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of both Tourism and Hospitality Management.

In his memory we are to introduce an annual ‘Derek Gladwell Prize’ to the value of £500.00 for the best all round ICM Hospitality Management student. This is a fitting tribute to a great and honorable man.
 
Alistair Somerville Ford
Chairman

School Delisted – Zanzibar Business School, Tanzania

Zanzibar Business School (ZBS) has been delisted as an ICM Approved Centre with effect from 21 October 2009, following a visit to the School by Mr Alloyse Mirindo, ICM’s Regional Director, Africa, and Mrs Emma Goodman, ICM Executive Director in the UK.

ZBS is therefore no longer authorised to teach or market ICM subjects or courses, register students, or display the ICM logo.

The December 2009 exam entries will proceed as usual, and the school is permitted to provide tuition until this December, however ICM students are advised to enroll at alternative ICM Approved Centres for their tuition and exam entries in future.

To request a current list of ICM Approved Centres in Tanzania, please complete the form here:  Find an ICM approved teaching centre.

ICM recognised by Chefs™ Association of Pakistan

The Chefs' Association of Pakistan has presented ICM with a certificate of recognition.

ICM has been presented with a recognition award from the Chefs’ Association of Pakistan (CAP) for being the first international awarding body to accredit practical food-related programmes in Pakistan.

ICM accredits the Culinary Arts Awards available at Pakistan’s College of Tourism & Hotel Management (COTHM). Mr Babar Sheikh, COTHM’s Director Coordinator, communicated the benefits such international recognition could give to students, and also encouraged more student chefs to apply for these courses.

The award was aptly presented on International Chef’s Day, 20 October the first time this international occasion has been celebrated in the country. More than 300 students, professionals and executive chefs attended the ceremony.

Top marks for Zambian Hospitality student

Top-scoring Zambian student Chipasha Mutalala

An ICM student in Zambia has passed an examination with 100 marks out of a possible 100 – an outstanding achievement for both her and her school, the Zambia Institute of Business Studies and Industrial Practices.

The Institute would like to congratulate Chipasha Mutalala on gaining 100% in her Single Subject examination in Fundamentals of the Hotel and Catering Industry in June 2009.

Her dedication and hard work in the subject has clearly paid off, and ICM wishes her the best of luck in the remainder of her Diploma in Hospitality Management and wherever her future will take her.

We asked Chipasha to tell us a little more about herself, and how she came to be studying with ICM today:

‘I was born on the 14th of March 1984, the third in the family of five. I lost my parents at a very tender age but I just thank God for giving me a loving auntie and uncle whom I have been with to date.

‘I did both my primary and secondary education in Kalulushi a small town in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. I started school in 1990 at Kalulushi Trust School and completed in 2001 at Kalulushi High School. Currently I am pursuing my Diploma in Hospitality Management at Zambia Institute of Business Studies and Industrial Practices in Kitwe, Zambia.

‘Just after completing my Secondary level I started working as an untrained French teacher. I managed to teach the subject with what I had learnt from school. With the passion I have for children, I really used to enjoy my work though I wanted something more challenging. I went back to school, studied computers and got a certificate. I further worked as a personal assistant to the Director at Cornerstone Christian School in my home town of Kalulushi. Whilst studying for my Diploma in Hospitality Management, I also worked as a waitress during weekends at Kalulushi Golf Club where I got more experience about the industry.

‘I have so many plans for the future. I would love to further my studies and obtain a degree in Hospitality Management and be able to offer better services to my guests. Upon completion of my degree programme, I would also love to open my own hotel so that I can empower my fellow hoteliers with employment.’

Students such as Chipasha are an inspiration to us all. If you know any students who have done extremely well in their exams, please let us know at: marketing@icm.ac.uk

ICM visits Kenyan Centres

Three ICM staff members have recently returned from visiting students and Centres in Kenya. The trip was a chance for staff to introduce themselves and for ICM to gain feedback about courses and examinations.

Keith Parr, Iain Nightingale – both ICM Examinations Officers – and Peter Rounce, ICM’s Technical Development Manager, visited five ICM Centres in Kenya.

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Lots of positive feedback was gained from the Centres, along with suggestions for further improving the service provided by the Institute.

Overall, the Centres were impressed with the range and number of courses available, the number of examination sittings each year and the marketing materials they received from ICM.

Iain Nightingale, ICM Examinations Officer, found the trip extremely valuable: ‘We learnt a lot from the Centres. It was a great experience for us as examinations officers to see how a different country operates and to see its teaching methods. It was a good trip for both us and the Centres.’

ICM is considering all the feedback it has received from the Centres and will act on it in due course.

ICM Reviews & posters available online

Students can now find past and present issues of the ICM Review magazine and ICM marketing posters online – available within the student section of the ICM website: http://www.icm.ac.uk/student-resources/icm-review/

The bi-annual ICM Review is produced by the ICM Global Communications team, and includes current and in-depth information about the Institute, its people, projects and places. Each issue also profiles an ICM Centre and a former ICM student, to show what life is like as an ICM student and how beneficial an ICM qualification can be.

There have been three ICM Reviews published so far. Each Centre is sent a number of copies to distribute, and now each one is also available to view online or download – keep an eye out for the next issue this autumn.

Posters about ICM and its new courses can be downloaded and printed to help promote the Institute within Centres and around the world.

Not only can all this information be accessed on the student section of the ICM website, the Reviews and posters are also available for Centres to download: http://www.icm.ac.uk/centre-resources/marketing-materials/

If you have any news, photos or letters that you would like included in future editions of the ICM Review, please email marketing@icm.ac.uk.

Join ICM on Facebook

In today’s modern world, online social networking is a key and useful way of communicating with people across the globe.

With that in mind, the Institute of Commercial Management has set up a Facebook page to keep fans up to date with all important and interesting news from ICM.

Facebook has more than 200 million active users worldwide and since its humble beginnings in a Harvard dorm room in 2004, it has become one of the largest social networking websites in the world.

Become a fan of ICM – Institute of Commercial Management on Facebook and:

• Keep abreast of all real-time developments in the world of ICM through Facebook
• Browse through ICM photo albums featuring some of our social and economic development projects
• Join discussions with fellow ICM fans about the Institute

Heidi Lees-Bell, Global Communications Director at ICM, said: “Having a presence on Facebook will allow us to engage with the ICM community, give current students and members the latest information, allow them to feedback to us their thoughts and ideas and, in turn, share the message of the Institute with their networking circles.”

To become a fan of ICM on Facebook, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/icmworld

Chief Executive in Serbia for graduation ceremony

Professor Tom Thomas recently returned from Belgrade, Serbia, where he presented ICM awards at a graduation ceremony for the English School of Business (ESB).

Taking place at the Dusko Radovic Theatre in Belgrade on 19 June, students at the ceremony were awarded a wide range of qualifications including ICM awards, degree and masters qualifications.

The event was attended by over 200 participants with 70 students receiving ICM awards. Ms Ljiljana Lazic, ESB Founder, and Ms Milica Jancovic, ESB Principal, both attended the ceremony and welcomed Professor Thomas warmly.

He gave a speech in which he congratulated the students involved in all programmes.  He also went on to congratulate the academic staff at ESB for their hard work and dedication as evidenced by the excellent range of results obtained.

Professor Thomas said: ‘It was good to meet the staff and students at ESB. Clearly, the students have an excellent experience whilst studying the ICM courses at ESB. A number of parents spoke to me after the event and said how much their sons/daughters had benefited from such a practical programme. It was also good to see that a number of ICM students were continuing on to study a Masters programme.’

Jovana Pusonja, an alumni of ESB, said: ‘I graduated on the ICM programme at ESB and continued my studies towards an MBA. Although graduating from ESB requires serious commitment, hard work and a lot of sacrifice, it is opening a lot of new opportunities for graduates. With my qualifications, I had no problem finding a job here in Dominican Republic.’

Click here for more information on the English Business School in Belgrade, Serbia.

ICM CEO chairs judging for ‘Business of the Year’

Chief Executive Professor Tom Thomas recently chaired the judging process for the National Business Awards South of England finalists for ‘Business of the Year’, sponsored by Grant Thornton.

The judging panel met at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel, and consisted of another four experts in their field: Christine Corner, Partner at Grant Thornton;  Sally Atkinson, Managing Director of Atkinson Executive Development Ltd.; Colin Mills, Founder and CEO of FD Centre and Philippe Rossiter, Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality.

Gathered together to examine the 10 short-listed companies, the panel considered each one based on a range of criteria, and then unanimously came to a decision on the winning entry.

The finalists hailed from a variety of industry sectors including pharmaceuticals, financial services, information technology, consultancy, transport, marketing and property development, and all demonstrated a high-standard of corporate growth and development.

The regional winners will be announced on 14 July 2009 at a prestigious event at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, and will then proceed to the UK National Business Awards, to be judged later in the year and presented in November.

Having been involved in the National Business Awards for a number of years, Professor Thomas feels passionately about his role in such a prestigious event, evidenced by the ICM book published in conjunction with the National Business Awards and Southampton Business School last year, ‘Defining Business Success – Selected Case Studies from The National Business Awards 2007′.

Professor Thomas commented: ‘The quality of finalists was extremely high.  All the companies showed strong growth and a commitment to their staff as well as an ethical approach to business. I hope to be involved in the judging process at the National level and we are sure to see some excellent companies competing for these prestigious awards.

‘ICM is pleased to be associated with these awards and is working towards improving the standards of business education across the world.’

Take part in the ICM web use & social networking survey

ICM centres, students and members will soon be receiving their copies of the Summer ICM Review – we hope that you enjoy it. It will shortly be available to download on the website too if you don’t manage to see a copy – see Marketing materials in Centre resources.

The Review features an article dealing with social media and its use for business purposes, ‘Social Media – the new business word of mouth?’ – and we’d like to find out more about your web use, your thoughts on the ICM website and how you use social networking sites in your daily lives.

Please take part in the survey so that we can improve our service and communication to the entire ICM community. There is also an opportunity to be in with a chance to contribute to the ICM website – we’d like to hear about your experiences of work, learning and life in your home nations – so tell us why you’d be a great columnist.

Click on the button on the left of the page to start the survey. Thank you.

Human Resource Development courses fully accredited

The Human Resource Development Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses are now fully accredited in the United Kingdom by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator.

You can view the full details of these qualifications on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications: http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk/awarding-body/qualifications/Institute+of+Commercial+Management+qualifications.seo.aspx.

Both the Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Development are vocationally-related qualifications providing knowledge and skills in the human resources and general business arena, and ensure a range of career and employment options are available on completion of the award.

ICM has articulation arrangements with a wide range of universities and institutions in the UK and overseas, and typically, the ICM Diploma allows entry to level 2 of an appropriate Honours degree programme. Some UK universities that already have established formal progression agreements include: Sunderland, Southampton Solent, Birmingham City and Manchester Metropolitan.

For more information on these courses, and to find out how to apply, click here.

ICM issues warning to students against unapproved centres

ICM is issuing a stark warning to students to make sure they register for exams only at Approved Centres, after it has come to light that a de-listed centre has been fraudulently claiming to offer ICM examinations.

The East Africa Institute of Information Studies in Nairobi, Kenya, has been found to be using photocopied exam booklets and past paper questions and the Centre had been charging students in KES (Kenya Shillings) despite ICM only accepting sterling. However, when challenged it did offer refunds to students who requested them after the ICM International Director for Africa notified the local Police and visited the school.

Should students wish to check whether their local Centre is ICM Approved, they can contact ICM directly for a list; it is not ICM policy to publish the Approved Centre list on its website. Students can also check whether a Centre is approved by asking a member of staff to show them their Approved Centre certificate. This document is issued to all ICM Approved Centres and carries a security watermark.

Jackie Everingham, Executive Director for Examinations said: “Students can rest assured that we take these matters very seriously. Regardless of the country in which these events might occur it is our policy to refer all cases of fraud to the local Police and where appropriate we always prosecute offenders. Dishonesty of this nature is completely unacceptable, it can affect a student’s future career prospects. As a result, we always investigate any fraudulent claims that are brought to our attention.”

Unapproved Centres are not eligible to teach ICM courses or offer ICM examinations.

If you would like to request a list of ICM Approved Centres, simply complete the online Find an ICM-approved Teaching Centre form and you will be emailed a list of centres near you.

New ICM website aims to enhance users’ experience

Welcome to the new website for the Institute of Commercial Management.

The development of this site marks an important step in the Institute’s global communications initiative. We hope that its fresh and innovative design will appeal to all sensibilities and further enhance your online experience with the Institute.

It has been designed with you – our students, professional members and guests – in mind, making it easily accessible whichever area you are interested in. Spend some time exploring; we’ve worked hard to create dynamic, timely and, above all, useful content, which we hope you will pass on to others if you find valuable.

As with any change, it will take a little time to adjust, but if you do discover any anomalies please do get in touch – your opinions really count. Equally, we would be very much pleased to hear any comments on the new website, simply email the ICM Global Communications team at marketing@icm.ac.uk or submit a comment in the box below:

Former ICM student is Youth MP in Uganda

ICM Communications' Susanna Woods meets the Hon. Kibedi Zaake Wanume and Edith Mubiike, Principal of Bethel Training Institute where Zaake gained his ICM qualification.

A former ICM student, Kibedi Zaake Wanume, is now the Youth Member of Parliament for Eastern Uganda.

Zaake studied for an ICM Advanced Diploma in Human Resources Development at the Bethel Training Institute in Jinja, Uganda. As well as becoming an MP, he also manages his own travel business, Crescent Tours & Travel.

He attributed his success in business to his ICM qualification: ‘The ICM qualification has helped me to appreciate a number of factors in leadership because in leadership we deal in people – human resources. So when I qualified in Advanced Human Resources Development, I learned a number of things, for example, how you can inspire your people, motivate your people, how you can listen to your people, which I didn’t have before.’

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As an MP, Zaake is currently campaigning for young people to be offered more job opportunities that are based on qualifications rather than experience. ‘You find that every job advertised states that you need five or ten years experience – but I’ve never heard of any school of experience, there is not a school that teaches experience. So somebody can be trained on the job, it’s one of the arguments I’ve been carrying in Parliament’ he explained.

If you are a current or former student of ICM and would like to be profiled, or know of someone who should be considered for a profile, please contact ICM Communications by emailing: marketing@icm.ac.uk

By Susanna Woods

ICM visits Bethel Training Institute in Uganda

Members of the ICM Communications Team have visited the Bethel Training Institute (BTI) in Jinja, Uganda, to find out more about the centre and how it operates.

The centre is located in the picturesque town of Jinja, which lies in the south of Uganda. Often described as the second largest town in the country, outside of the capital Kampala, it has a population of more than 105,000, with a large market and many shops located in the town centre, alongside the training institute.

BTI is a large, colourful former residential building that is well-equipped with computers and learning facilities, including a main lecture hall, two lecture rooms and three computer classrooms. It also has a workshop where its computers are built and fixed, and where students can learn about computer maintenance. Around 250 students are currently studying at the centre.

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ICM’s computing courses are the most popular courses offered by the centre, and more than 130 students from the training institute took ICM examinations last year. The centre looks set to match or even increase that number this year – especially with the creation of a new educational building for the centre. The team at BTI is planning the new educational building in an effort to accommodate more students and help increase the computer facilities available to pupils. Construction should be completed by the end of June.

Mrs Edith Mubiike, BTI’s Principal, explained the need for a new building: ‘Bethel Training Centre is accommodated on residential premises. We’ve acquired land in the Njeru town where we have ten acres of land and have started constructing the first phase of seven classes, of which so far four have been built. We need a bigger space where we can accommodate, say, about 80 students in every classroom. We believe that if the construction is done, then we will have more people coming in as students.’

ICM students from the Bethel Training Institute have gone on to many successes, including the Hon. Kibedi Zaake Wanume, who took the ICM Advanced Diploma in Human Resources Management. He is now the Youth Member of Parliament for Eastern Uganda – and the youngest MP in the whole of the Ugandan Government. Click here to read more about him.

The visit was incorporated into the team’s trip to Uganda to film and photograph Bournemouth scout leaders as they spent ten days in the country for a recce, ahead of the scouts’ trip in 2010.

By Susanna Woods

ICM’s Tom Thomas judges European Business Innovation Award

ICM Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas (third from left), joined the judging panel in Rome.

The Chief Executive of the Institute of Commercial Management, Professor Tom Thomas, recently travelled to Rome to judge the European Business Innovation of the Year Award.

Part of the European Business Awards 2009, this particular category recognises the organisation that can best demonstrate a proven ability to create, grow and develop innovations or processes that substantially improve the commercial performance or prospects of the company.

Taking place in Rome, Italy on 27 January, the judging process saw the short-listed companies attend and give presentations to the panel – which consisted of a number of high-profile business experts:

 Rolandas Baryas, CEO and Editor in chief of Verslo Zinios (Business News), Lithuania

 Kevin Meagher, CEO and Founder of Intamac Systems Ltd, UK

 Dr Ulrich Schwanengel, Managing Director, Consol Software, Germany

 Attila Varkonyi, Non-Executive Chairman of Hungary’s Research, Technology and Innovation Council

 Professor Tom Thomas, Chief Executive, Institute of Commercial Management, UK

Philip Forrest, Chairman of The Osprey Partnership in the UK, chaired the event, which featured a wide range of exciting, innovative companies from across Europe, including the short-listed finalists from Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands and the UK.

The premise for the European Business Awards was born out of the success of the National Business Awards in the UK. Launched seven years ago, the Awards rapidly gained an exceptionally high profile, generating extensive media coverage and providing a platform to shout about and promote entrepreneurship and enterprise in the UK. The European Business Awards is replicating this same success across the EU.

The winning organisations will be announced at the prestigious awards ceremony taking place in Rome on 7 April 2009.

For more information, visit: http://www.businessawardseurope.com/

By Heidi Lees-Bell

ICM and TEVTA awarding ceremony in Pakistan

Twenty-five students in Pakistan were presented with their ICM certificates at an awarding ceremony on 19 November 2008.

The candidates completed their Punjab Board of Technical Education Examinations under the MoU signed between ICM and the Technical, Educational and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) earlier in April 2008.

The event was introduced by Mr. Nauman Ali Khan, the Manager of Curriculum at TEVTA, Govt. of Punjab.

ICM’s Regional Coordinator in Pakistan, Mr Moazam Shahbaz, then spoke about the Institute and the importance of the agreement for the promotion of TVET throughout the country.

A video message was played from the ICM Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas:

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Engineer Javed Younis Upal, Chairman Education WING, Institution of Engineers Pakistan (Lahore Chapter), is also a member of ICM’s Education Advisory Board in Pakistan and praised Mr Shahbaz’s efforts in bridging the gap between Pakistan and the rest of the world, in terms of education and employment, by introducing and promoting ICM awards in Pakistan. He offered his full support to ICM in Pakistan for its promotion and development.

Finally, TEVTA Chairman Mr Moshin M. Syed presented the awards alongside Mr Shahbaz and Professor Javed Iqbal Malik.

By Heidi Lees-Bell

ICM judges Youth Parliament elections in Pakistan

ICM's Mr Moazam Shahbaz (right) at the elections for the Youth Parliament of Pakistan, seated next to Mrs Hamda Tariq, Principal of WISE College (ICM accredited) and YPP Chairman and founder, Mr Abrar-ul-Haq.

One of ICM’s key regional coordinators was recently invited to judge the elections for the National Assembly of Youth Parliament of Pakistan (YPP).

Mr. Moazam Shahbaz, ICM Regional Coordinator for Pakistan, joined the panel of judges which included YPP founder and Chairman – the famous Pakistani pop, bhangra and folk singer, Abrar-ul-Haq.

According to the organisation’s mission statement: ‘YPP is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious program initiated by Mr.Abrar-ul-Haq to foster and translate talent and excellence of adolescents and youths of Pakistan into tangible action and community service and in the process provide a nursery for scientifically trained leaders and citizens of character and substance.

‘In the process the community’s abandoned, sick and unserved are linked and benefited in a relationship of symbiosis and interdependence with the youth of Pakistan.’

YPP works to give young people between the age of 15 and 35 an opportunity to contribute to the nation-building process. They will be encouraged to offer ideas to bring positive change in their communities and work for their effective implementation.

It is also designed to enable young people to be heard by district, provincial and national governments as an alternate youth perspective on various national and international issues, in an apolitical fashion.

Mr Shahbaz works to coordinate the presence of ICM across Pakistan, and was delighted to be part of the process in helping to shape the Youth Parliament of Pakistan.

‘It was really good to see young people expressing their ideas for the betterment of both their region and Pakistan on the whole. I am sure they can play a vital role in the nation-building process’ he said.

For more information about YPP, click here.

By Heidi Lees-Bell

ICM CEO attends Dublin Business School graduation

Professor Tom Thomas hands an ICM certificate to DBS Student of the Year, Lisa O'Farrell.

Professor Tom Thomas, ICM’s Chief Executive, attended the graduation ceremony for Dublin Business School (DBS) on Thursday 27 November.

Over 200 DBS students received their ICM diplomas across many subjects, including marketing, business studies, journalism and legal studies, at the ceremony which took place at the RDS Concert Hall in Dublin.

Professor Thomas said: ‘It was a real pleasure to present the awards at the DBS graduation ceremony and meet so many ICM graduates. Many congratulations to those that have graduated. I wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavours.

‘The ICM student numbers seem to be growing at DBS and the range of courses that they provide is very impressive. Our role of providing vocationally-related programmes whilst expanding our links with many universities in relation to progression routes is clearly a popular approach. I look forward to working with the School and other ICM centres across Ireland in the future.’

Dublin Business School (incorporating Portobello College) was established in 1975 and is now the largest independent college in Ireland with over 9,000 students.

By Emily McGuinness

Removal of Syllabi from Website

From November 2008 the following subject will no longer be offered.

• Internet Marketing

The last examination for this subject will be December 2008.

‘Fast Track’ success for MA student Emma

Professor Tom Thomas (left), winner Emma Covington-Cross and Course Leader Mike Wilman.

An MA Marketing Management student at Southampton Solent University, UK, has been awarded a prize for the ‘Best Fast Track Student’, sponsored by The Institute of Commercial Management (ICM).

Emma Covington-Cross was awarded the £100 prize after achieving an excellent standard in her work and obtaining the highest mark for her dissertation. This incorporated new thinking in the consideration of management and marketing factors that affect strategic growth of SMEs.

The prize was awarded by Professor Tom Thomas, Chief Executive of ICM and former Dean of Southampton Business School, and the MA Marketing Management Course Leader Mike Wilman.

For more information about the MA in Marketing Management at Southampton Solent University, and Fast Track entry, click here.

By Heidi Lees-Bell

National Accreditation in Ghana

Students in Ghana should note that the National Accreditation Board of the Ministry of Education confirms that an ICM Graduate Diploma is comparable in standard with a first (bachelor’s) degree awarded by recognised tertiary institutions in Ghana.

Visitors from Malawian Centre meet ICM management

Chief Executive Professor Tom Thomas, Communications Assistant Emily McGuinness and Chairman Dr Alistair Somerville Ford with Dr Kazembe and Mr Chilabade from the Staff Development Institute in Malawi.

Representatives from an ICM Centre in Malawi visited the Christchurch Head Office this week to meet with ICM’s Chief Executive and Chairman.

ICM Chief Executive Professor Tom Thomas welcomed Mr Bressings G. Chilabade and Dr Manuel B. Kazembe from The Staff Development Institute (SDI).

SDI is an important provider of ICM programmes in Malawi. A government-sponsored training institute based in Blantyre district, in the Southern Region of Malawi, it is the only Management and Human Resource Development institution in Malawi whose existence goes back to pre-independent Malawi, the year 1962.

Mr Chilabade, Director of SDI and Dr Kazembe, the Head of its Communication Department, were in the UK to foster closer links between the two organisations, and to review the examination procedures. They also discussed the possibility of additional ICM programmes to be offered by the SDI, and improving the support provided to learners.

Mr Chilabade said how pleased he was with the visit and the time spent with the Chairman Dr Alistair Ford and the Chief Executive Tom Thomas; ‘It is good to be able to meet ICM staff and to discuss in person issues of common interest.’

Professor Thomas said: ‘I am always pleased to meet representatives from ICM Centres, and it was a real pleasure to meet these gentlemen from Malawi. We found it very useful to discuss issues, and it was an invaluable opportunity to see how we can further help our Centres in the development and delivery of high quality programmes.’

By Heidi Lees-Bell

ICM Chief Executive goes East to build links

Representatives from Ningxia University and visiting academics, including Professor Thomas, at the tree planting ceremony.

ICM Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas, has just returned from a highly beneficial and successful trip to Ningxia in China, and Hong Kong.

During his visit from 13-22 September, Professor Thomas was invited to Ningxia University to take part in its 50th anniversary celebrations. As a Visiting Professor, he has a number of existing links within the University, and had the opportunity to both build upon those links, and secure new ones.

The anniversary celebrations lasted three days, with a range of cultural and educational meetings including a formal presentation, with speeches by local and national dignitaries and the presentation of awards for past senior members of staff. The event was topped off with singing and dance performances from the University’s students, which Professor Thomas described as ‘excellent’.

During his time there, he was also able to plant a ‘tree of friendship’ on behalf of ICM in the University grounds (pictured). He also managed to spend some time with the University’s President, Professor He Jianguo, to discuss ICM’s activities and the viability of delivering ICM programmes at the University and/or at associated colleges and centres.

Professor Thomas then travelled to Hong Kong, where he visited a range of potential ICM centres and met with various parties to discuss the possibility of collaborative projects, including the local media.

He said: ‘It was very enjoyable to meet up with old friends at Ningxia University and to meet new contacts from around the world. The celebrations were organised very well and it is tremendous to see the massive expansion achieved at Ningxia. This region has tremendous potential for ICM in developing strong links with local and regional centres and in building up the portfolio of ICM courses.

‘As anyone in education will know, China has expanded its supply of education and training over many years, but is still not able to keep up with the tremendous demands for continued learning. It is an exciting market to be involved in and I have confidence that ICM can play its part in the coming years in developing more vocationally-related courses suited for the region.’

By Heidi Lees-Bell

Accounting and Finance & Office Practice

Diploma in Accounting and Finance

With effect from September 2008 there will be a change of subject under this Diploma. A new subject, ‘Applications’ will replace ‘Computer Appreciation and Applications’. The first examination for ‘Applications’ will be in December 2008. The last examination for ‘Computer Appreciation and Applications’ will be in Dec 2009. Course Materials for ‘Applications’ can be found on the Website under Course Materials – Computing.

Certificate in Office Practice

With effect from September 2008 ‘Computer Appreciation and Applications’ will be replaced with a new subject entitled ‘Applications’. The first examination for ‘Applications’ will be in December 2008. The last examination for ‘Computer Appreciation and Applications’ will be in Dec 2009. Course Materials for ‘Applications’ can be found on the website under Course Materials – Computing.

Revised Computing programmes

From December 2008, all existing computer-related papers will be set using a new scheme.

Centres submitting candidates for Management Information Systems and Computer Appreciation & Applications should note that the final examinations for these subjects will be in December 2009. After that series, only the subjects listed under the computing scheme listed below will be available.

Structure of the new Computing programme

ICM Certificate: (4 subjects)

• General Purpose Software
• Information Processing
• Programming
• Numeracy & Statistics

ICM Diploma: (4 subjects)

• Number and Logic
• Systems Analysis
• Applications
• Programming Project

ICM Advanced Diploma: (4 subjects)

• Hardware & Operating Systems
• Managing Computer Systems
• Networks
• Feasibility Study

The following table shows the changes that have been made and indicate where new subjects have been introduced and also where existing subjects have been replaced with more up-to-date content.

Relationship between the new and existing syllabuses

Details of content in each subject

Note to Centres: Learning material is being produced that covers all the revised computing subjects and this will be available on the ICM website (www.icm.ac.uk).

Applications (APP) - Emphasis on how REAL business systems work. Detailed study of specific business systems such as mail order retail schemes, customer accounts, hotel bookings, banking, stock control, library systems, etc. More emphasis on how the systems work and the Special Purpose software used. Candidates will not be expected to give details of particular versions of packages available but instead to describe the processes involved, means of data capture, files used and the people involved.

General Purpose Packages (GPP) - Word processing, Spreadsheet, Database, Graphics and Operating Systems – treated more as case studies than exercises. Installation of packages. Candidates WILL be expected to explain HOW to achieve particular user needs.

Systems Analysis (SA) - similar to the current Systems Analysis & Design module with emphasis on how new systems are developed and including use of DBMS and implications of programming. New system development. Upgrading existing systems. Documentation. Security.

Programming (PR) - Candidates will be expected to have had sufficient practice that they can provide solutions (coding/algorithms) to common needs. Coding will be expected to have a high degree of accurate syntax. The module will include associated programming methods. Traditional programming languages are expected.

Information Processing (IP) - similar to the current Information Processing module, which requires a study of what actually happens inside the processor. It will also include aspects of file theory. Selection of appropriate input/output devices and file systems but details of their physical operations are reserved for the Hardware module.

Networks (NET) - LAN configurations. WAN systems. www including simple HTML. Business uses of networks. Data transfer and formats. E-mailing. Network threats and security.

Hardware & Operating Systems (HOS) - Types of memory, configurations. Fetch-execute cycle. Input/Output devices. Storage, installation. Logic circuits and Boolean algebra. More detailed investigation of operating systems.

Number and Logic (NL) - for those interested in how the computer actually handles data internally. Binary/Octal/Hexadecimal manipulation. How data/programs are held in memory. Numerical methods treated manually by applying to computer systems e.g. optimisation, bulk data handling, iterative methods. Statistics, matrices, number series.

Managing Computer Systems (MCS) - Personnel involved and their jobs, responsibilities and global views. Information. New systems. System security and scheduling.

Programming Project (PP) - Production of a fully documented program to solve a real-world business/administration problem and implemented in a traditional language or a database management system.

Feasibility Study (FS) - Fully documented study into the introduction of a new computer system in business with some centre assessment including an oral presentation of the findings.

Click here to download the Professional Computing and Information Processing exam entry form

Click here to download Computing notes

Removal of Syllabi from Website

From August 2008 the following subjects will no longer be offered.

• Credit Management
• Direct Marketing
• Personnel Management
• Sustainable Development

The last examinations for these subjects will be December 2008.

ICM Chief Executive networks with Chinese government

China's Chongqing is the largest city in the world with a population of 32 million.

Professor Tom Thomas, ICM’s Chief Executive, attended a networking event on Tuesday 5 August in London, hosted by the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC).

The investment promotion seminar and networking lunch was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Park Lane, initiated by the Chongqing Municipal Government, looking to raise awareness of the thriving business and economic environment in the city and its widespread investment opportunities.

Mayor of Chongqing, Mr Wang Hongju, spoke about the fast-growing city that is, in fact, the largest city in the world with a population of over 32 million. It is the largest and most populous of the China’s four provincial-level municipalities, and the only one in the less densely populated western region of China (the other three on the east coast are Beijing, Shanghai and TianJin).

The seminar featured a number of other high-level speakers, exploring specific sector projects and areas of investment. Alongside Mayor Wang, others present included Mrs Fu Ying, the Chinese Ambassador to UK, and Mr Li Jianchun, the Director General of the Chongqing Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Commission.  Representatives from the UK included the Rt Hon Rosie Winterton, Minister of State for Transport, John Prescott, ex- Deputy Prime Minister and Mr Peter Budd, Vice Chairman of the CBBC.

Professor Thomas discussed possible links for ICM with a number of the Chongqing delegation at the event yesterday and further discussions are ongoing. With 56 universities, 341 colleges and over 200,000 graduates per year, the potential for collaboration in terms of education is immense.

He said: ‘The demand for education and training in China is growing at a significant pace and currently cannot be satisfied by existing supply.  As a global education provider, the ICM is in a strong position to assist in the development of new vocational programmes in this region.  I am excited about the prospects of developing further partnerships in China.’

Due to visit in September, Professor Thomas hopes to further expand on these links and progress ICM’s relationship with this particularly dynamic and fast-developing city.

By Heidi Lees-Bell

Increase in Examination Fees

Please note that the existing standard fee for examination subjects for the December 2008 and ALL subsequent Series is to be increased from £18.00 per subject to £20.00 per subject.

This increase in the standard fee is directly related to the increase in the price of crude oil which has, in turn, had a major impact on our postal, courier, general distribution and other services.

For the past 30 years, I have ensured that ICM follows a policy of providing its Student Members with the lowest possible charges for assessment services, and I am aware that every increase in fees creates additional financial burdens for both students and their parents and guardians.

Unfortunately, the current global economic inflationary spiral is an event which is outside of our control and one that is affecting the peoples of all nations.

Dr Alistair Somerville Ford

Chairman ICM

Western Union payments

ICM is pleased to announce that, with immediate effect, it is now an agent for Western Union.Should you wish to make payment by this means, please visit your local Western Union office, where you may obtain a loyalty card which will give you a reduction each time you make a payment to ICM.

May we point out that it is imperative to indicate your exclusive MTCN number on your registration form and examination entry form to enable us to collect your payment. This MTCN number will be issued to you by the Western Union staff.

If you do not provide us with your MTCN number we will be unable to collect your payment and as a result will not be able to process your Examination Entry.

If you wish to use Western Union the payee’s name is ‘Alistair Somerville-Ford’. If you propose to send your fees through Western Union please confirm by email to info@icm.ac.uk that payment has been made by this method.

Legal Studies

Please note that the June 2008 examination dates have been amended in respect of the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies course.

The new dates are as follows:

Please notify your students of the new dates.

ICM sponsors student award

Tina Scherer (centre with Professor Tom Thomas) has been awarded an MA in Marketing Management from Southampton Solent University.

ICM’s Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas, attended an awards ceremony on Friday 23 May at Southampton Solent University to present the ICM-sponsored ‘Best Fast Track Student’ award to Tina Scherer.

Tina studied for a Masters degree in Marketing Management and received the award in recognition of her achievements during her studies at the university.

As a ‘fast track’ student – an option available to students holding a Professional Postgraduate Diploma – Tina has studied Research Methods and written a comprehensive dissertation.

Professor Tom Thomas commented: ‘I was delighted to present Tina with this award – I understand that she has performed consistently well during the course and has produced work of an excellent standard. ICM is proud to sponsor awards such as these and to recognise the hard work and dedication of all students, both in the UK and abroad.’

Tina is now working as an International Marketing Manager at Siemens Financial Services. She added:  ‘I very much enjoyed the fast track programme at Southampton Business School, and found it a very unique and rewarding experience. The course is well structured and the teaching is of a high standard.

“I would recommend the course to people looking for a comprehensive academic and practical way to broaden their marketing knowledge. Particularly the dissertation which gave me the opportunity to combine my practically gained marketing knowledge with the theory, which stimulated new ways of thinking.’

As part of the award, Tina received a cheque from ICM for £100.

By Susanna Woods

ICM publishes award-winning business case studies

Tom Thomas with a copy of 'Defining Business Success', published by ICM in collaboration with The National Business Awards and Southampton Solent University.

A new book, Defining Business Success, has been published by the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM), in collaboration with The National Business Awards and Southampton Solent University.

It details case studies of some of the winners of the National Business Awards 2007, an annual event sponsored by Orange, which recognises organisations that are raising the standards of commercial practice and creating the business intelligence of the future.

Written by experts of the Southampton Business School at Southampton Solent University, the book highlights some of the most successful Awards winners that have had the greatest impact on the business community and their customers.

Amongst the winning companies featured are Gu Chocolate Puds, North Wales Police, Summit Media Ltd, Speedy Hire and NatWest.

ICM’s Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas, is a judge on The National Business Awards panel and is very pleased to see the case studies made available in this form. He said: ‘I am delighted to have been involved in the judging process for The National Business Awards in recent years. The process is robust and fair and, on a personal note, it is a great privilege to be able to meet so many of our country’s successful leaders, be they from the private or public sector.’

The book will be sent to all companies who apply for The National Business Awards 2008 – visit www.nationalbusinessawards.com for further information.

By Heidi Lees-Bell

Major contract signed with Pakistan Government Authority

ICM today (25 April) signed an agreement with Pakistan’s Technical, Educational and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA), which will lead to the provision of ICM examinations, assessment and expert technical assistance to TEVTA.

The contract will also involve the certification and provision of TEVTA/ICM qualifications at vocational training institutions across the Punjab province.

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The five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr Alistair Somerville Ford and Nouman Ali Khan in the Mayor’s Parlour, in Christchurch, and marks a groundbreaking partnership between the two organisations.

Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, ICM Chairman, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with TEVTA and look forward to supporting their Human Resource Development objectives and activities.

‘Pakistan is a unique country that I’m familiar with and I think that it has enormous potential. It’s really a question of getting young people trained and developing their skills, and I think that ICM can make a contribution to that.’

Nouman Ali Khan, TEVTA General Manager (Academic), said: ‘This is the first time in technical and vocational education that we have crossed the borders. It is a very good opportunity for students. Both doors are now open for students to go on to higher education or into employment.’

By Susanna Woods

Nomination for ICM’s Chairman

ICM's Chairman, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, has been nominated by Christchurch Borough Council for a 'Good Citizen Award'.

ICM’s Chairman, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, has been nominated by the local authority for a ‘Good Citizen Award’ in the Civic Pride category.

The Awards, which are an annual event, recognise the work of those individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the local community and to the ancient Borough of Christchurch.

When notified of his nomination he said: ‘It is always an honour to receive any form of recognition for one’s work and this was a complete but very pleasant surprise.

‘I am particularly delighted that the local authority has seen fit to include me in this year’s Awards ceremony.’

ICM Chief Executive attends Paris awards

ICM Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas, recently attended the 2008 European Business Awards in Paris.

ICM Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas, has just returned from the 2008 European Business Awards in Paris.

Tom was one of the judges for the Business Innovation of the Year category, an award created to honour an organisation that ‘can best demonstrate a proven ability to create, grow and develop innovations or processes that substantially improve the commercial performance or prospects of the company.’

Ten companies became finalists within the category – and at the event, Intamac Systems Ltd was awarded the final overall accolade for its innovative automated monitoring, messaging and control services.

Tom, having appeared as a judge for the UK National Business Awards for the past four years, was very impressed with the standard of the awards: ‘The awards presentation ceremony was a great success. With so many outstanding professionals all in one place it was a rewarding experience, and I was proud to be a part of it. The standard set by the finalists was exceptional.’

The presentation luncheon was held at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand hotel on 11 March. The awards are held annually to celebrate business excellence and comprise ten categories that recognise the diversity and breadth of business innovation throughout the whole of Europe.

To find out more about the awards and all the category winners, click here.

By Susanna Woods

Gambian visit for ICM Chief Executive

Tom Thomas pictured with Principals from ICM Centres in The Gambia.

ICM Chief Executive, Professor Tom Thomas, has just returned from an ‘enjoyable and fruitful’ fact-finding visit to The Gambia.

The purpose of Tom’s week-long trip was to meet with dignitaries and promote the Institute and its programmes, as well as discuss ways to improve standards for students.

During his stay, he met with 14 Principals from Gambian teaching Centres – including Mr Yusupha B. Dibba, the Acting Director General of the Management Development Institute (MDI), ICM’s largest Centre in the country.

The meeting resulted in the Principals founding the ‘Association of ICM Centres in The Gambia’. The group will meet quarterly to discuss ways they can enable the smooth running of ICM programmes and help students receive the best possible education.

Tom Thomas met with the Acting Director General of the Management Development Institute (MDI), Mr Yusupha B. Dibba.

Tom also had the opportunity to spend time with the Director General of the National Training Authority (NTA), as well as staff from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) – in particular ICM Coordinator, Mr Sillah Conateh, and Head of WAEC, Mr Ebrima Njie.

During his visit, Tom even appeared on the Gambian Radio & Television Service (GRTS) and was featured on the front page of Gambian newspaper, the Daily Observer.

On return from his stay, Tom said: ‘Gambian students have so far achieved very impressive results in line with ICM students worldwide. We want to help ensure they continue to meet these high standards. By meeting with the Principals, we can get first-hand details of the problems confronting the Centres and discuss ways and means of overcoming them.’

Around 4,500 students study ICM programmes in The Gambia each year. The Institute is currently developing an initiative to link ICM Diplomas to final year degree programmes taught by Gambian universities.

By Natasha Piscitelli

Head Office visit for Ghanaian Coordinator

Getrude Nyarko pictured with staff from ICM’s Head Office in Christchurch, UK.

ICM’s new Regional Coordinator for Ghana, Getrude Nyarko, is spending time at the Institute’s Head Office this week, ahead of her permanent appointment in Ghana.

Getrude will interact with the Institute’s staff to gain hands-on experience of its administrative and managerial procedures, as well as to plan ICM’s future accreditation and centralisation procedures in Ghana.

Before taking up residence in Ghana at the end of February, Getrude will also spend ten days training with ICM’s Regional Director for Africa, Alloyse Mirindo, in Kenya.

Getrude’s Ghanaian ICM office will be located in Accra, where she will work alongside the President of the Association of ICM Students of Ghana, Chris Kpogo.

The principal stages of Getrude’s appointment will be focused on achieving accreditation of ICM programmes by the Accreditation Board of Ghana. This is already in the pipeline and the Board in Accra has received details of ICM’s accreditation in the UK, together with the necessary supporting documents.

New examination procedures

She will also start arrangements for the student examination process to be centralised, taking place in just two centres in the Accra and Kumasi regions. In the future, it is anticipated that central examination centres will be based in all ten of Ghana’s regions.

She said: ‘I want to improve the experience for students in Ghana and so my first two priorities are the issue of accreditation and exam centralisation. When this has been achieved, I hope to develop new initiatives such as ICM donating computers to the centres teaching its programmes, as well as holding Graduation Ceremonies for ICM students in Ghana.’

As a former ICM student and Ghanaian, Getrude is the ideal candidate to undertake this crucial role. She first studied for an ICM Graduate Diploma in Marketing in Ghana, and then went on to write a dissertation in Market Research which enabled her to complete an Associate Degree in Marketing.

Anyone wishing to contact Getrude can email her at: getrude@ICMmail.org.

If you are an ICM student or member, you can request your own ICM email address. The facility is accessible through the front page of ICM’s website – www.icm.ac.uk – and can be personalised to any preferred username in the form of yourchoice@ICMmail.org.

By Natasha Piscitelli

ICM Chief Executive judges 2008 European Business Awards

The European Business Awards is now in its second year.

ICM Chief Executive, Tom Thomas, recently returned from a day’s judging in Paris, spent selecting the winner of the 2008 European Business Awards ‘Business Innovation of the Year’ category.

Now in its second year, the Awards is a fully independent programme, which recognises and celebrates business excellence across the 27 EU member states.

The winners will be announced at a special presentation luncheon to be held at Paris’ InterContinental Paris Le Grand hotel on Tuesday 11 March 2008. Each of the six category finalists will be honoured with the coveted ‘Ruban d’Honneur’, designating them as one of Europe’s leading organisations.

Those to make the final ten in the ‘Business Innovation of the Year’ category are: Amadeus; Beluga Group; BT; Daimler Mobile Kids; Deutsche Post; Grisoft; Intamac Systems Ltd; Lietuvos draudimas; Openet; and Sykes Global Services EMEA.

Commercial development

The final winner will be selected for demonstrating ‘a proven ability to create, grow and develop innovations or processes that substantially improve the commercial performance or prospects of the company.’

Tom was invited to judge the category as he is an experienced judge for the UK National Business Awards – one of the most prestigious business accolades in the UK.

He is extremely pleased to have been invited to be a judge for the second year in succession, and was impressed by the calibre of the entries. He said: ‘The quality of the finalists was very high and the presentations observed by the panel were of an incredibly high standard – showcasing the amazing diversity of innovations being developed by European businesses.’

Tom will attend the awards ceremony in Paris in March, along with ICM Chairman, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford.

For further information on the European Business Awards, visit http://businessawardseurope.com

By Natasha Piscitelli

Honour for ICM Chairman in Moscow

ICM’s Chairman, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, has been awarded the title of Honorary Professor by Moscow Business School.

In a ceremony in Moscow on 7 December 2007, the Academic Council of the Moscow Business School (MIRBIS) awarded the ICM Chairman, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, the academic title of Honorary Professor.

Providing both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, MIRBIS is one of a handful of overseas Higher Education institutions which have met the rigorous standards required for institutional membership of the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

Dr Ford said of his award: ‘It is a privilege and an honour to be recognised by such an august institution as the Moscow Business School and I was delighted to have had the opportunity, once again, to visit Moscow and renew acquaintance with so many old friends and former colleagues.’

For more information about the Moscow Business School, please visit: www.mirbis.ru/eng.

National UK accreditation and recognition of ICM Awards

ASET have awarded national accreditation to ICM.

Following the submission of the necessary documentation and information, the Institute is pleased to confirm that it has received national accreditation from ASET.

The organisation is one of the nationally recognised UK boards for the accreditation of vocational programmes.

The second stage of the process to obtain additional accreditation from the QCA (the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) has also been completed.

For more information about ASET, please visit: www.aset.ac.uk.

ICM appoints International Coordinator for Ghana

ICM is pleased to announce that Getrude Nyarko has been appointed our new International Coordinator for Ghana.

As a former ICM student and Ghanaian, Getrude is an ideal candidate for the role. She first studied for an ICM Graduate Diploma in Marketing in Ghana, and then went on to write a dissertation in Market Research which enabled her to complete an Associate Degree in Marketing.

With her ICM qualifications, Getrude was then accepted to study a Master of Arts in Business Management at the prestigious University of Liverpool which she completed in 2006.

Getrude will be based in Accra and will have a range of responsibilities, including the facilitation of correspondence between Ghana and the UK, and consulting with national executives on behalf of the Institute.

She also plans to establish a new learning resource centre in Accra, which will provide Ghanaian ICM students with access to computers, books and learning equipment.

Commenting on her new appointment, Getrude said: ‘This is an excellent opportunity for me lead and coordinate an organisation which is at the forefront of management development in Ghana.

‘I hope to centralise the administration of ICM with effective management reviews to make registering and sitting examinations more accessible, as well as working in partnership with higher learning institutions to maintain the high standards of ICM’s accreditation scheme.’

Getrude has previously undertaken roles as Senior Marketing Officer at Agapex Worldwide in Ghana and part-time Support Worker for The Disabilities Trust in the UK.

By Natasha Piscitelli

Business Law

There is a minor change to the Business Law syllabus which brings this in line with the recommended textbook (Business Law by Keenan & Riches). The change involves an additional topic on Employment Law including employer/employee rights, contracts, equal pay, dismissal and grievance procedures. It should be noted that examinations from June 2008 will incorporate this area. All other topics on the syllabus remain unchanged.

Structure of Travel & Tourism and Retail Travel Operations

With effect from the September 2008 examination diet, the format of both papers will change. The revised format will be as follows:

Both papers will have a Part A and a Part B.

Part A – this will consist of two questions representing 40% of the marks (both questions must be answered).

Part B – will consist of six questions and candidates will be required to answer any three Questions. Part B will account for 60% of the marks.

There will be no changes to the two subject syllabuses.

ICM links up with Pakistan’s Skill Development Council in Punjab

ICM is working with the Skill Development Council in the Punjab province.

New partnerships with Pakistan are continuing to develop with the recent signing of a Memorandom of Understanding (MOU) between ICM and the Skill Development Council (SDC) in Lahore, the capital of the Punjab province.

Established in 1995 by the Pakistan Government’s Ministry of Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, the SDC aims to ensure that technical, vocational education and training in Pakistan is demand-driven, flexible, cost-effective, and essentially, delivered through the participation of employers.

It was created with the assistance of the World Bank, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan. Operating in Punjab, it has over 250 approved centres and certifies over 100 courses.

SDC Chief Executive, Mr. Serat Mehdi, welcomed ICM and assured his support in the promotion of ICM courses across the province and the rest of the country. He has actively been involved in the delivery of demand-driven training across the province of Punjab for over 10 years.

ICM Regional Coordinator for Pakistan, Moazam Shahbaz, said: ‘The Skill Development Council and its centres are already doing a very good job in the province by offering demand-driven training.  Delivering ICM’s globally recognised courses will help the SDC to produce individuals excellently prepared for supervisory level positions in many different sectors.’

ICM Chief Executive judges National Business Awards 2007

Professor Tom Thomas is a judge for the National Business Awards 2007

Professor Tom Thomas, ICM’s Chief Executive, is a judge for the National Business Awards 2007 – one of the most prestigious accolades in the UK.

Once described by Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown as ‘the UK’s business Oscars’, the National Business Awards is an independent programme which recognises and rewards excellence, innovation and success and identifies outstanding businesses of all sizes and from all sectors across the UK.

Sponsored by Orange, and consisting of 18 categories, the short listed finalists for the awards were announced in late August and the judging process is now underway to select each winner.

Professor Tom Thomas has been a judge for the National Business Awards for three years now, having initially been approached whilst Dean of the Business School at Southampton Solent University. This year, Tom is one of the judges for The Orange Business Leader of the Year Award, which will go to ‘the outstanding individual who has best demonstrated exceptional leadership and vision.’

“Fantastic opportunity to network”

Professor Thomas said: ‘Being involved in the National Business Awards is something that I am very proud of; it really is an excellent programme – very professionally organised with objective judging.

‘It is also a fantastic opportunity to network with the top business minds in the country.  The awards ceremony in November will be a great opportunity to raise greater awareness of ICM in a corporate arena. Alongside continued growth on a global level, one of my key aims is to further promote ICM in the UK, look to increase the delivery of new courses and push forward the development of professional membership worldwide.’

The awards ceremony is taking place on Tuesday 13 November at the Grosvenor House Hotel, set in the heart of Mayfair in London, to be hosted by renowned television presenter Sir Trevor McDonald.

Look out for photos and an update on the National Business Awards 2007 in November.

For more information, visit: www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk

Pakistan to adopt ICM courses across its universities

ICM has strengthened its educational partnerships with Pakistan.

ICM is very pleased to announce that Pakistan is adopting its courses across Government sector universities in its North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Following ICM’s consultation with Government organisations over recent months, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan in NWFP circulated a letter to all Vice-Chancellors of Government sector universities in the province on 9 August, stating that ICM’s single subject examination system is suitable for faculty, management staff and outgoing students alike.

ICM’s courses will supplement existing higher education provision in Pakistan, encouraging the take-up of modern knowledge and techniques that will benefit many in their careers, and in turn bolster the socio-economic landscape of the country.

The recommendation to implement ICM’s courses has been well received, with Kohat University of Science and Technology the first to contact the ICM approved centre in Peshawar, the Euro Institute of Management Sciences, to express their interest in building synergy with ICM. They showed initial interest in the courses International Business Communication and International Business Environment, for their students undertaking different degree programs at the University.

Skill Development Council onboard

Further to this progress, ICM signed a Memoram of Understanding (MoU) with the Skill Development Council (SDC) of Pakistan laying out the scope of the agreement.

Together, ICM and the SDC, based in Peshawar, will offer globally recognised training to students in the NWFP.  This will develop skilled supervisory-level manpower capacity in a range of disciplines and functional areas, recognising the need to offer borderless qualifications and training in the region to meet the global standards and requirements for recruitment.

Industry-benchmarked, the ICM courses are suitable for students holding a minimum of Intermediate/O Level certification and/or working professionals, and are designed to lead to supervisory level jobs in local and international markets. All students that obtain ICM certification will also be awarded SDC certification upon success in ICM examinations. It is hoped that similar agreements will shortly be made across Pakistan’s other provinces, and ICM courses will be delivered by many more universities.

Tom Thomas, ICM’s new Chief Executive, said: “I am very pleased that ICM courses have now been firmly established in Pakistan and I am sure we will see a strong growth in these programmes across the country over the next few years.  Such courses will complement other provision already existing in the country and will assist local businesses to develop further in the global markets.”

Tom Thomas joins ICM as new Chief Executive

ICM is pleased to announce that our new Chief Executive Tom Thomas has commenced work at our Christchurch, UK-based offices, effective Monday 3 September.

Tom joins the Institute from Southampton Solent University where he enjoyed an impressive career spanning four decades. Most recently, Tom undertook the role of Dean of Southampton Business School, whilst his previous positions were as Lecturer in Mathematics, Computer-based Training Manager, Head of Business Analysis and Head of Academic Operations. In addition, Tom has been involved in establishing external companies primarily in information systems and management development.

‘I am delighted to join ICM as the new Chief Executive,’ Tom said. ‘A major part of my previous role as Dean of Southampton Business School included development of international business opportunities. It is clear that this experience will help me to develop ICM further in new and existing markets overseas.

‘I also want to enhance the profile of ICM within the UK and over the next few months I will work with staff to push forward on this agenda. ICM provides an excellent range of products and has tremendous potential for further growth and I look forward to the challenges ahead.’

ICM’s former Chief Executive, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, now takes up the position of Head of ICM Communications Group, as well as continuing his responsibilities as Joint Chairman of ICM. Commenting on Tom’s appointment, he said: ‘We are thrilled to have Tom on board. With over thirty years’ experience in the higher education sector, he is sure to be a real asset to the Institution. Both I and all staff members are very much looking forward to working alongside Tom and being involved in the positive changes he is sure to make.’

International Business Communications

A new syllabus and textbook (‘Mastering Communications’) have been introduced for the subject International Business Communications. The new syllabus can be viewed and downloaded from the ICM Web Site. The first examinations based on the new syllabus will take place in March 2008.

Tour Operations

A new Syllabus and a new textbook (‘The Holiday Organisers’) have been introduced for the subject ‘Tour Operations’. The text has been written by Chris Mace, the Institute’s Chief Examiner for Tourism Studies. A free copy of the new book will shortly be sent to all Teaching Centres. The new syllabus can be viewed and downloaded from the ICM Web Site. The first examinations based on the new syllabus will take place in March 2008.

Incoming ICM Chief Executive bids his colleagues farewell

ICM Chief Executive designate Tom Thomas pictured at his leaving party, along with his family and Vice-Chancellor Professor Roger Brown.

ICM Chief Executive designate Tom Thomas was treated to a fond farewell celebration last week as he prepared to leave his post as Dean of the Business School at Southampton Solent University.

Present and former colleagues gathered together with Tom’s wife Lisa and two daughters to enjoy food and drinks and to hear speeches by Lesley Kimber and Principal Lecturer in Economics, Malcolm Robertson. During the party, Tom said: ‘I’ve thoroughly enjoyed life at the university. It’s been a real pleasure working with such great people.’

Tom joined the institute in 1975 as a Lecturer in Mathematics. Over the years he has held a variety of posts including the Institute’s Computer-based Training Manager, Head of Business Analysis and Head of Academic Operations. In the mid-1980s, he established a company dedicated to the development of community-based information systems.

Tom was appointed to the ICM Advisory Board in 2005. In the same year, he was appointed a Visiting Professor in Business Analysis at the Ningxia University in China.

In May 2007, ICM’s current Chief Executive Dr Alistair Somerville Ford and Tom were invited to participate in the first Regional Peace Conference held since the end of the war in the Balkans. Held in Budva in Montenegro, the Conference was attended by the Presidents and Prime Ministers of seven countries in the Region as well as EU and NATO representatives. After the presentation by Dr Somerville Ford of an Award to the former President of Montenegro, Tom was honored for his work with young people and was nominated ‘Humanist of the Year’ 2006 by the International League of Humanists.

Tom will commence his position as ICM’s Chief Executive on the 3rd September 2007.

Marketing Policy & Strategy

The current case study for Marketing Policy & Strategy is Mallard Drake Corporation – effective from June 2007

ICM appoints new Director of Journalism and Media Programmes

BJTC's Accreditations Secretary, Steve Harris, and Tom Thomas, ICM Chief Executive designate.

ICM is pleased to announce that Steve Harris, Accreditations Secretary of the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC), has been appointed Director of ICM’s Journalism and Media Programmes.

Steve’s prolific career and achievements span five decades, including – amongst others – senior roles at Pennine Radio, Southern TV, Solent Regional Radio and MyTV. Most recently, he was Co-opted Member of the NUJ Professional Training Committee and Founder Director of RTI Broadcast.

As BJTC’s Accreditations Secretary, Steve is responsible for visiting colleges and universities around the UK to accredit their broadcast journalism courses. The Council currently accredits 43 courses in the UK, however it believes this figure will grow to up to 50 by the end of 2008.

According to research from Robert Gordon University, 8% of the UK’s university population is now studying on journalism or media related courses. ICM expects this growth to be reflected in academic markets across the world and is therefore keen to provide a range of up-to-date programmes in this area.

Commenting on the new collaboration, Steve said: “I’m delighted to be ICM’s new Director of Journalism and Media Programmes. By working together, we can help to ensure that international colleges and universities provide students with journalistic training of the highest standard.”

Further information on broadcast journalism and careers guidance can be found at www.bjtc.org.uk.

ICM strengthens its position in Pakistan

Regional Director of Pakistan's Higher Education Committee, Mr. Farman Ullah Anjum, and his colleagues visited ICM's stand at the Foreign Education Exhibition, Peshawer, Pakistan.

ICM’s participation in the Foreign Education Exhibition held in Peshawer, Pakistan on June 24 has proved highly successful.

Over 30 new students registered for ICM courses during the event; whilst Regional Director of Pakistan’s Higher Education Committee, Mr. Farman Ullah Anjum, expressed an interest in promoting ICM courses at provincial level.

Moazam Shahbaz, ICM’s Regional Quality Assurance Coordinator for Pakistan, was on hand at ICM’s exhibition stand to give visitors information and advice. He said: “The ICM stand was very busy during the show. I met with Mr. Farman Ullah Anjum who said there are many areas the Government is keen to train staff in and he believes that ICM should be this source. We can provide them with all of the required courses, particularly Human Resources development.”

The exhibition was hosted by the Euro Institute of Management Science, which is the approved centre for ICM courses in Peshawer. Organisers presented Moazam with a souvenir for his contribution to the show.

Further information on ICM centres in Pakistan can be found at www.icm.ac.uk/pakistan.

New ICM text for Tourism & Hospitality students

The Holiday Organisers – a new ICM text for Tourism & Hospitality students undertaking ‘Tour Operations’.

Produced specifically for ICM students undertaking ‘Tour Operations’, this text explains how Tour Operators work and how tours are constructed and marketed.

It is the latest book in a series of ICM texts covering the subject of Tourism and is an invaluable source of information about the industry. The text is to be adopted as the core book for the subject ‘Tour Operations’.

Available for purchase from ICM.

Republic of Ireland ONLY- Structure of ICM Legal Studies Awards

In December 2005, those ICM Centres offering tuition leading to the Legal Studies Awards were sent an Information Sheet advising them that the structure of the Legal Studies programme would be changing.

The circular was sent with the December 2005 Examination packages.

It appears that the information about the programme changes did not reach all Principals or Course Directors.

Please Note:

The Chief Examiner for Legal Studies has agreed that his team will provide Examinations for the former six subject programme for all existing students who are registered for the old programme. Examinations in the six subjects will be available for the May 2007, June 2007, September 2007 and December 2007 Series.

It should be noted however that December 2007 will be the final Series for those on the old six subject programme.

All new students who have registered for the programme will automatically be entered onto the new four level Legal Studies programme.

ICM unveils plans for a new sub-Saharan HQ

Alloyse Mirindo, Regional Director for Africa, Christopher Curran, Director of External Relations and Natasha Piscitelli and Chris Jinks, senior members of ICM’s new communications group.

ICM is to establish a regional headquarters in Nairobi to manage its sub-Saharan operations.

The new office will incorporate a student resource centre, offering a host of facilities for ICM students. These will include study areas with computers, internet access, photocopiers and a library. Staff based at the centre will also be on hand to offer vocational guidance and training, such as help with writing CVs and interview techniques.

Alloyse Mirindo, who has worked as the ICM’s Regional Quality Coordinator for the past ten years, has been appointed the Regional Director for Africa. He will be setting up and managing the new office. He said: “No other institute offers a facility like this in the area so this will be a fantastic resource for students. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work on this new project.”

ICM Chief Executive, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, added: “This is an excellent opportunity for both the ICM and its students. If the project proves successful, we hope to open headquarters and student resource centres in a selection of locations around the world.”

The ICM Guide to Study Techniques and Exam Success

This 120-page guide is an invaluable text for all students wishing to improve their examination performance, results and grades. The book covers the following areas: Descriptive and Analytical Essays; Free Expression Essays; Summaries; Numerical Work and Illustrations; How Examiners Mark Work; Case Studies – Mini Studies – Assignments & Reports; Orals, Aurals; Practicals and Objective Tests.

A section on Study Skills covers the following: Personal Preparation; Getting the Facts Right; Reading and Word Power; How to Remember Information and Revising.

The book is available free of charge to all registered ICM students undertaking an ICM Professional programme. It is also free of charge to all ICM students preparing for any ICM Single Subject examination.

To obtain your free copy contact your ICM Approved Teaching Centre.

Hospitality Management and Hotel & Catering

Please note that a new Hospitality Management programme was introduced in October 2006. It has four levels and replaces the former Hotel & Catering programme.

Final Examinations for the old Hotel & Catering programme will be held in December 2007. Many of the original subjects have been retained and students who have completed all or part of the old programme will be able to claim exemptions on a subject-for-subject basis.

Details of the new programme can be viewed and downloaded from the Web Site.

ICM Graduation – Sierra Leone

ICM’s Director of External Relations, Mr Chris Curran, pictured with ICM Graduates from Freetown and Bo.

Business professionals, academics and politicians gathered together on the 17th March to pay tribute to ICM students from Freetown and Bo and to new Honorary Fellows of the Institute.

The graduation ceremony held at the British Council, Freetown was awash with speeches from many dignitaries including the Minister of Education, the Mayor of Freetown and the former Lord Chief Justice.

Participants were clearly inspired by the dignitaries’ words of encouragement, by their support for education and their backing of ICM programmes. A surprise was also on hand when a scholarship was presented to DJ Base in person, a man whose voice is known across Sierra Leone.

In addition to the graduation awards, Honorary Fellowships were awarded to the following people by ICM’s Director of External Relations, Mr. Chris Curran, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to education and social and economic development in Sierra Leone.

Dr. Alpha T. Wurie BSc. MSc. PHd

Minister of Education Science & Technology

Hon. Hafsatu Kabba BA. Dip.

Member of Parliament

Major General Edwin Sam-Bohma BA. MBA

ICM Sierra Leone Graduation

Army Chief of Staff

Mr. Brima Acha Kamara BA. MIIP. MBA

Inspector General of Police

Prof. Alghali Aliyadeen Mohamed BSc. MSc. PHd

Vice Chancellor, Njala University

Prof. Abdulah Mansaray BSc. MSc. PHd

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Njala University

Prof. Jonas Redwood-Sawyer BSc. MSc. PHd

Dept. Vice Chacellor, University of Sierra Leone

Dr. Cladious Bert-Williams BSc. MSc. PHd

Director Institute Of Public Administration and Management

Dr. Danteh Bendu BSc. MSc. MSc. PHd

Head Department of Accounting and Finance, Fourah Bay College

Dr. Ibi H. May-Packer BSc. MSc. PHd

The proportion of students from state schools going on to higher education rose to 87.4% in 2005-06.

Director Institute of Directors

Dr. Paula Kamara BSc. MBA. PHd

Director Institute of Advanced Management & Technology

Mr. Joseph Abass Bangura MAAT. ACCA. FIPFM. ACA

Chief Finance Officer, Africell Lintel (SL) Limited

Mr. Ronald Kuwaku Hingston BSc. CIMA. AIIA

Deputy Managing Director, National Insurance Company

Mr. Edmond Koroma MSc. MBA

Director General , National Social Security & Insurance Trust

Mr. Kanja Sesay BA. MA

Commissioner of the National Commission for Social Action

Mr. John Karimu BSc. MSc. MBA

Commissioner National Revenue Authority

Prestigious award for ICM Chief Executive

Dr Alistair Somerville-Ford proudly displays his award for five years support to Dorset Architectural Heritage Week.

At a lunch organised by the Dorset Conservation and Design Officers Group, ICM Chief Executive, Dr Alistair Somerville Ford, was presented with an Award to mark his five years of continuous support and sponsorship of Dorset Architectural Heritage Week.

The annual event has grown in size and popularity and now attracts more than 30,000 people to Dorset each year.

Travel & Tourism Development

There is a new syllabus for Travel & Tourism Development; the last examination for the old syllabus will be December 2007.

ICM Pakistan visit

Dr Alistair Somerville Ford and Tom Thomas spent two weeks in Pakistan during February visiting schools and colleges. They held a number of successful meetings with government officials and agencies, including the Higher Education Commission.

Agreement was reached with two leading government training agencies which will result in the provision of funding for students undertaking ICM vocational programmes at nominated training Centres around the country.

Customer Service

The last examination for Customer Service will be March 2007. From June 2007 students will be required to sit Customer Service (New).

Appointment of new Chief Executive

Tom Thomas is set to take up the position of ICM’s Chief Executive from September 1 2007.

We are very pleased to announce that Mr Tom Thomas, who is currently Dean of the Business School at Southampton Solent University, has agreed to join the Institute as Chief Executive. Tom will assume his duties on the 1st September 2007.

He replaces Dr Alistair Somerville Ford who is to become joint Chairman with Professor Derek Gladwell OBE. Alistair Somerville Ford will also assume responsibility for the newly created Department for International Development and Communications.

ICM and University of Sunderland collaboration

The University of Sunderland in the UK has agreed to the articulation of ICM awards with its BA and MBA programmes.

Advanced Diploma and Graduate Diploma graduates can now progress to the one year BA Business top-up programmes. Graduate Diploma students who have sufficient professional experience can also apply for the DMS and the MBA.

The University of Sunderland BA Business and MBA programmes are available in the UK and overseas through fully-supported distance learning.

Sunderland University offers a wide range of expertise in distance learning-based programmes, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in business and computing. The institution works with a large number of collaborative partners around the world.

The University has said it believes partnering with ICM will ensure high-quality provision and progression for students to study internationally, as well as in the UK.

Business Ethics & Customer Care

The last examination for Business Ethics & Customer Care was March 2007

Retail Travel Operations

There is a new syllabus for Retail Travel Operations (New) and the last examination for Retail Travel Operations will be September 2007.

ICM Approved Centres in Pakistan

We are delighted to unveil details of the new ‘ICM Approved Centres’ in Pakistan.

They join some 3,000 other ICM Centres located in 130 countries around the world.

We look forward to working with them and to supporting their students.

Structure of Travel & Tourism

There is a new syllabus for Structure of Travel & Tourism and the last examination for the old syllabus will be September 2007.

Graduate Diploma in Marketing

From June 2007 students studying Graduate Diploma in Marketing will be required to study Customer Service (New) instead of Business Ethics and Customer Care.

They must not study Business Ethics & Customer Care (New). Please find attached the examination entry form for this course.

ICM Approved Centres in Pakistan

We are delighted to list below details of the new ‘ICM Approved Centres’ in Pakistan. They join some 2,000 other ICM Centres located in 130 countries around the world. We look forward to working with them and to supporting their students. Click here to read more.

ICM director to visit Sierra Leone

From 9-16 July, ICM Centres in Sierra Leone will be host to Mr. Chris Curran, the Institute’s Director of External Relations.

During his visit, Mr Curran will be meet with members of the British Council, schools and students to discuss further expansion of ICM programmes in the country.

Ghanaian education update

Following a successful visit to Ghana in May, Central University College now welcomes applications from ICM Graduates who wish to continue their education in a variety of programmes.

ICM students have also launched the ICM Students Association of Ghana ICMSA-G under the Presidency of Christian Kpogo.

Huron University ICM credits confirmed

Ray Hilditch, the Provost of Huron University, USA in London, has now confirmed that ICM Graduates will qualify for the following credits:

• Holders of ICM Certificate Awards – 24 Credits
• Holders of ICM Diploma Awards – a further 24 Credits
• Holders of ICM Advanced Diploma Awards – a further 24 Credits.

The result of this is that it will now be possible for suitably qualified holders of ICM Advanced Diploma Awards to complete a Huron University Bachelors degree in three semesters, following which they may apply for direct entry onto a Huron Masters programme. Huron provides generous scholarship support of up to 50% of the tuition fees. Scholarships are based on need and merit.

ICM Ghanaian visit

ICM’s Director of External Relations, Mr Chris Curran,  visited Ghana at the end of May to meet teaching centres, students and government organisations.

ICM is one of the largest examining and awarding bodies in Ghana and the visit provided Mr Curran with the opportunity to discuss future in-country development strategies with the relevant authorities.

Purchasing & Supply Management

This new and completely revised programme replaces the former Diploma in Purchasing & Supply. The programme outlines, subject syllabuses and Reading Lists for the new Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Purchasing & Supply Management are now available. The appropriate details can be downloaded from the website. The last examinations for the old syllabus will be December 2007.

ICM and University of Sunderland Articulation Agreement

An Articulation Agreement between London City College and the University of Sunderland now enables holders of the ICM Executive Diploma in International Business to gain direct entry into the second year of the Sunderland MBA programme.

The Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Public Sector Management

This two year, ten subject course, developed for a National Staff Training College, provides students with an understanding of the key management skills and knowledge required for employment in the Public Sector. Advanced Standing: the Advanced Diploma Award enables graduates to gain entry onto the final year of relevant degree programmes.

The first subject examinations will be available in March 2007.

The Diploma in Corporate Governance

Designed by an expert in this subject area, this one year programme is designed to provide senior managers in both the Public and Private Sectors with a clear understanding of this key area of management.

Business Ethics and Customer Care

New Subject Syllabus and New Main Text

A new syllabus and Main Text for this subject can be found on the Web Site. The final Examination based on the old syllabus will take place in December 2006.

Customer Service Syllabus

Final Examinations for the old syllabus

A new syllabus for Customer Service (Main Text: Customer Service: A Practical Approach by Elaine K Harris) was introduced in August 2004.

This replaced the previous syllabus which was linked to the text ‘Proactive Customer Service’ by Brennan.

No further Question Papers will be based on the old syllabus and all Centres should use the text by Harris.

Training & Development

The last examination under the old syllabus will take place in December 2006. The first examination relating to the content of the new syllabus will take place in March 2007.

New subject syllabus and Main Text

‘Learning and Development’ by Rosemary Harrison. Published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. ISBN 1 84398 0509

The 4th Edition of the text for this subject is now available and the Subject Examiner has made a number of minor changes to the syllabus which reflect the content of the 4th edition.