UJ, DTI and IEDC partnership to boost skills to assist municipalities with economic development
The national Centre for Local Economic Development (CENLED), within the Faculty of Economics and Financial Sciencesat the University of Johannesburg (UJ) joined hands with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) based in Washington D.C. to offer a professional development curricula aimed at promoting skills and competencies for persons working in local economic development practice to become certified economic developers.
This partnership gives CENLED the exclusive right to offer IEDC accredited short learning programmes in South Africa as well as the IEDC exam specifically for South Africa. The short learning programmes developed under the auspices of CENLED are aimed at people who would want to take up employment in a profession where critical perspectives on issues of economic transformation are crucial. It is also to broaden and deepen the pool of skills in local economic development.
The IEDC is a premier independent non-profit, non-partisan membership and research organisation devoted exclusively to the field of economic development, assisting economic development professionals in creating high-quality jobs, developing vibrant communities and improving the quality of life across regions.
“The short learning programmes will be provided nationally in partnership with other universities to give participants a practical and interactive learning experience that integrates theory and real world practice within the context of local economic development in South Africa,” say Dr. Marius Venter, Director: CENLED. “The programmes are designed to promote the application of learning in the actual local economic development work context. Participants will be able to use the programme to impact on service delivery.”
Dr Venter concludes: “Universities form part of a global network of knowledge creation and dissemination, and South African universities are very much part of the global village through collaborative capacity building projects, international exchanges and other mechanisms. It is encouraging to see IEDC investing in the development of the nation’s young minds as this will translate into economic gains for the country.”
The partnership will come to fruition when Mr. Jay Moon, President of the IEDC, officially launches the partnership at the University on Monday, 22 October 2012. ends
Note to the journalist/news editor/producer
DR Marius Venter, Director of the CENLED, is available for interviews on request. He can be contacted on 082 464 9636
