Ms. Tebogo Moagi  - Ag. Director
Ms. Tebogo Moagi - Ag. Director Centre for Continuing Professional Development

Welcome to the Centre for Continuing Professional Development

MANDATE AND ROLES OF CENTRE FOR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In 2010, in anticipation of the transition to university status, BOCODOL received a commissioned report from DCDM E&M entitled BOCODOL: Organisation Review. The report proposed an organisational structure for the Open University that has provided the basis for subsequent organisational developments, albeit with
certain variations. The transitional structure in place in early 2017 is shown in Appendix 1.

1.2 The establishment of the Botswana Open University (BOU) in November 2017 necessitates a review of the organisational arrangements within the current Division of Academic Services to ensure a common understanding of the component parts and their inter-relationships. In particular, it is important to elaborate the mandate and roles of a number of centres in the Division, particularly with respect to the Schools. Role-clarity will enable improved strategic contribution, allow performance oversight and appropriate resourcing, and ensure efficient operations within the Division and within the University as a whole.

1.3 The mandate and roles of the following centres have been updated in the context of the Botswana Open University 1 :

        • Centre for Continuing Professional Development

2. CENTRE FOR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2.1 The mandate of the Centre for Continuing Professional Development (CCPD) is to offer a range of courses especially for people who wish to extend or upgrade their skills, professional development and continuing education,but cannot immediately commit to long term study for a particular programme. These could be non-credit courses/ programmes in the Centre and/ or credited loaded courses/programmes in
the schools leading to the awarding of a qualification. The Centre will also act as sources of third stream income to the Botswana Open University.

2.2 The Centre shall adopt two models of delivery to achieve its mandate, namely;

The Training Model
This model of training supports an outcomes skills- based training whereby people especially in industry are provided with an opportunity to upgrade their skills in order to be able to demonstrate their competencies. Non – credit short courses offered by the Centre in collaboration with the schools of the University or industry which award certificates of competency would be included under this model.

The Award-bearing Model
This is a model of continuing professional development that relies on or emphasises the completion of award–bearing programmes of study usally but not exclusively validated by schools of Botswana Open University and / or partner institutions and Universities. The funtion of the Centre in this model is to coordinate and faciltate the teaching of credit loaded short courses and single/ modular courses by learners in a flexible manner leading to finally the awarding of qualifications by the Schools and the appropriate Academic structures of the University. Certificate, degree and masters courses/ programmes of the University already offered by the schools would be included but not exclusively under this model.

2.3 The Role of the Centre for Continuing Professional Development (CCPD)

        • The Centre for Continuing Professional Development is established with the role to promote professional growth and bridge the gap between the academic environment policy making and implementation locally, regionally and globally.
        • It offers professional development, continuing education and up skilling opportunities for professionals and in-service persons across multiple disciplines.
        • To support individual and organizational learning by providing opportunities to acquire new skills and capabilities thus allowing professionals to stay relevant in the current knowledge-based global context.
        • The CPD expands a fair amount of energy in the development of the content to bring the most relevant and appropriate program to the participants.
        • To provide cutting-edge training programs to maintain the high standing of the University in regards to its reputation at local, national, & international levels, also being leader in innovative pedagogies in its program deliveries.

2.4 Functions of the Centre for Continuing Professional Development

        • Conceptualization and design of new programmes and curricula based on market research and/ or needs analysis.
        • Partnering with schools of the Botswana Open University, other universities and industry for adopting or adapting existing programmes
        • Developing course materials
        • Recruit and Train part time tutors for programme delivery
        • Organises appropriate RPL action for people in industry in conjuction with the office of the Registrar for training purposes.
        • CCPD in liason with Finances shall conduct a business case/analysis before roll out of each course to ensure the objective of revenue generation is achieved.
        • CCPD shall in liason with the schools and officer of the register administer learners who require credits accumulation on short courses for articulation purposes or professional certification vs those who require certificate of competence.
        • Evaluating and reviewing existing and new programmes
        • Regular benchmarking with external bodies offering similar ODL programmes
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