News & Views
Charity management education
Autumn is the season of professional development, with many individuals well underway with vocational qualifications study – usually on top of a full time day job. The non-profits sector is no exception and recent qualification developments are useful indicators that course providers recognise one size does not fit all when it comes to management education.
Those working in the finance functions of charities without a recognised finance qualification directly relevant to their work can opt for CIPFA’s new Certificate in Charity Finance & Accountancy, available across the UK from London South Bank University, leading either to full CIPFA qualification or to the MSc in Charity Finance & Accounting. The Institute of Fundraising’s Certificate in Fundraising Management now has European Fundraising Association certification, which is good news for fundraising standards and, one would hope, for widening the fundraising talent pool. This is already available in the UK through professional or academic- based learning.
Cass Business School launched their Diploma in Charity Accounting with the ICAEW a year ago and graduates can then go on and take the MSc in Charity Accounting and Financial Management. Nigel Scott (LSBU) and Paul Palmer (Cass) both make the point that the law, regulation and requirements of the sector are so different to any other that it needs specific training and development to provide an appropriate skill level.
Sheffield Hallam University offers an MSc in Charity Resource Management. This concentrates on the fundraising and financial aspects, and the specific context of charity law, but it includes major modules on strategy and organisational changes which are similar to those on an MBA.
When it comes to MBAs, business schools are not as specific (the MBA is a general management degree), although electives have more to offer now for the non-profit student. London Business School and Henley Management College both offer CSR electives with Cass offering it as an ‘additional study’. Marc Day, Director Studies on the Henley programme told Caritas ‘good responsible business practice starts with the behaviour of managers and does not just react to external forces, such as legislation and regulation’, and went on to explain how they had amended the MBA programme over last ten years, with ‘Reputation and Relationships’ now one of the core modules. He confirmed that Henley is receiving an increasing number of sponsored students from the non-profit sector.
An alternative to an MBA is London South Bank University’s MVA (Voluntary replaces Business) which offers a similar approach but with a specific slant towards the Voluntary and Public sectors.
For further details of all non profit further education and training, log onto:
