World Class for World Class Place Managers
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
A world-wide class of place management practitioners gathered in London last week to study for a unique qualification designed to make places better. Town centre managers, urban regeneration professionals and tourism officials from South Africa, Singapore, USA, Canada, Italy, Australia and the UK signed up to a one-day workshop, followed by distance learning and tuition to understand more about the principles and practices involved in place making, maintenance and marketing.
The course is delivered by the The Institute of Place Management, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University. As well as leading to an International Certificate in Place Management, the award also forms part of Manchester Metropolitan University's MSc in Place Management.
Professor Cathy Parker, course Director, said "it was a real privilege to teach such a diverse but passionate group of practitioners and we really hope that by delivering courses like this we not only help people in their job, but also learn from their experiences in order to build a better knowledge base to help take the profession forward". Her views were echoed by the students on the course, who also found it valuable to learn from the tutors and each other.
Anne Steffny, an experienced business improvement district professional from South Africa said "the problems facing town and city centre development professionals are remarkably similar the world over and so we have a lot to learn from the academics and each other".
The International Certificate workshop preceded the Association of Town Centre Management and International Downtown Association's 5th World Congress, held at the Queen Elizabeth the Second Conference Centre in Westminster, London.
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For further editorial information please contact Daniel McGrath at the Institute of Place Management on +44 (0)161 247 6041, or email dan@placemanagement.org
Notes to editors
About the Institute of Place Management
The Institute of Place Management is the international professional body that supports organisations and individuals who develop, manage and make places better.
Membership of the Institute of Place Management offers personal recognition of your professionalism in town, city and place management, and contributes to the creation of a robust professional profile. Membership provides access to continuing professional development opportunities, including; qualifications, the Journal of Place Management and Development, IPM seminar series, and a variety of other resources.
About Association of Town Centre Management
ATCM is the leading organisation in Europe concerned with managing and improving town and city centres. As a not-for-profit membership organisation it represents the interests of town and city centre management partnerships across Britain and Ireland. Its members include a wide-range of Government, regional agencies, local authorities and leading business interests.
ATCM is dedicated to helping town and city centres realise their natural roles both as prosperous locations for business and investment, and as focal points for vibrant, inclusive communities. For more information visit: http://www.atcm.org
About Manchester Metropolitan University Business School (MMUBS)
MMUBS is one of the largest business schools in the UK, with 3,000 undergraduates and 1,500 postgraduates. As well as offering degrees in all major sub-disciplines of business and management, the School engages in applied research and provides in-house courses and consultancy services for corporate clients.
About The International Downtown Association (IDA)Founded in 1954, the International Downtown Association has more than 650 member organizations worldwide including: North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Through our network of committed individuals, rich body of knowledge and unique capacity to nurture community-building partnerships, IDA is a guiding force in creating healthy and dynamic centers that anchor the well being of towns, cities and regions of the world.
