MyKnowledgeMap launches online training academy for place managers

A nationwide bid to expand the successful adoption of UK town centre management to a wider range of places includes the implementation of an online training academy provided by knowledge systems specialist, MyKnowledgeMap (MKM).

Part of AGORA, a £2.7m project part-funded by the European Social Fund and led by Manchester Metropolitan University Business School and the Association of Town Centre Management, the Institute of Place Management (IPM) is a new professional institute tasked with developing and supporting the creation of sustainable formal structures of place management.

Administered by the Retail Enterprise Network (for whom MKM built its Retail Academy), the IPM is also responsible for establishing professional, internationally-recognised standards among all those involved in the management, development and marketing of places.

York-based MKM is building an online academy for the IPM. MKM is the UK's leading supplier of infrastructure systems for national skill academies that manage people needs, spanning day-to-day productivity to discovering and achieving relevant qualifications within both private and local government sector organisations.

In development for implementation on the IPM web site at www.placemanagement.org, the e-Academy supports the management of internal courses on centre management.

Its infrastructure is designed for use across any single, or over a number of, subject areas and its sophisticated group-ware environment provides collaborative training accessed by geographically dispersed users using only a web browser to enable simultaneous teamwork and share training resources.

The e-Academy integrates workshops, courses and libraries of e-learning, online books and podcasts seamlessly. It can be used to manage inductions, organise appraisals and deliver and document mandatory health and safety training. It includes a complete self-assessment and 360-degree assessment system and tracks user progress.

The IPM e-Academy will incorporate a version of MKM’s Empower system to allow its stakeholders to manage the product. Acting as a live virtual community, the system enables project players to communicate, find information (as in an actual library environment), and organise complex administrative and auditing tasks.

“Right now we are researching internationally the information required for building the competency framework for place management,” says Director of Development, Cathy Parker.

“From our findings, we can develop training and support for attainment of an international professional qualification in a market that presently constitutes many niche associations without the mass, nor means, to assist its members in this way.”

IPM UK membership launches in July 2007; in Australia in September, and globally in January 2008.

“We’ll have some online support available at the UK launch,” says Cathy. “Member benefits will expand as we populate the site. Distance learning for the inaugural introduction to place management qualification will be available from September.”

As director of the Retail Enterprise Network, Cathy worked with MKM on the creation of its own Retail Academy.

“The experience provided me with a clear view of MKM’s capabilities so that when the IPM was mooted, I could see quickly where they could play a useful role,” she says.

“The Retail Academy is a qualified success and provides a clear and deliverable model that will similarly meet the needs of the IPM.”

ends

Notes for Editors:

About MyKnowledgeMap
Founded in 2000, MyKnowledgeMap (often known as MKM) is a dynamic company delivering web-based knowledge systems designed by individuals, for the individual.

More information at www.myknowledgemap.com

Further Information from:
Rob Arntsen / Tom Holland, MyKnowledgeMap 00 44 (0) 1904 659465
Peter Muir / Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR 00 44 (0) 1727 860405/ (0) 1296 715228