The Governance Workshops are for all members of governing bodies of Scotland's colleges including both new and existing members who want to refresh their knowledge and understanding of wider aspects of governance and accountability.

Development Activity

The Governance Development Programme delivers a range of workshops and resources for college board members.

This year’s programme includes the following:

• Full day workshop sessions focusing on Governance and Accountability, Non-Executive Leadership
• and Delivery, and Leadership Through Change
• Tailored workshop sessions for audit and finance committee members with the Chartered Institute of
• Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
• Short, focused development sessions to be offered regionally and on a twilight basis
• One day consultancy for college boards to support strategic development
• Enhanced package of web resources.

To ensure all board members have an opportunity to participate in the programme all sessions are highly
focused and available at a variety of venues across the country and are offered at no cost to attend.

All events will be available to book online.

CIPFA Workshops for Audit and Finance Committee Members

Advanced Audit Committee

This workshop provides an opportunity for delegates to identify what is working well in their Audit Committee and also to highlight any problem areas. Topics will include treasury management, using risk management strategically and value for money.

Finance Committee

This workshop is designed to encourage and empower Finance Committee members by highlighting the key role of these committees and their members. This programme will explore how College Board nonexecutive can play a key role in showing good governance and clear challenge with regard to material financial transactions across the Scottish Public Sector.

Dates for these workshops are to be confirmed.

Governance Development Programme Governance Workshops

2011/12 – Descriptions and Outcomes

Workshop 1 – Governance and Accountability

10 November 2011 and 19 January 2012

Board members receive general induction from their own college; this workshop offers the opportunity to build on that by sharing experiences with colleagues on other boards and giving them the opportunity to reflect on what makes the difference between a reasonable non-executive and a good one. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Understand the key roles and responsibilities of a college board member
• Explore how to demonstrate and deliver accountability to stakeholders
• Identify tools and techniques for working in partnership with staff
• Understand how to maximise personal effectiveness in board meetings and elsewhere.

Workshop 2 – Non Executive Leadership and Delivery

2 December 2011 and 21 March 2012 and 22 May 2012

Most Board members are experienced leaders or managers in their ‘day job’. This workshop offers the chance to explore the key differences between an executive and non-executive leadership role and addresses the common dilemma of how to board member can ensure that the board’s aims and objectives are delivered on the ground when they are not managing the process directly. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Explore what it means to provide leadership as a non-executive board member
• Understand the challenges of providing a learner led, outcome based service
• Identify tools and techniques for ensuring successful delivery of a corporate vision
• Assess ideas of how a board contributes to a culture of sustained performance improvement.

Workshop 3 – Leading Through Change

16 February 2012 and 24 April 2012 and 5 June 2012

Experienced board members are facing a period of unprecedented change and uncertainty. Various discussions and events will be taking place for the senior staff, Principals and Chairs of colleges. This workshop looks specifically at what this means for ordinary non-executive board members and how they can continue to fulfil their governance and leadership responsibilities at this important time.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Consider information relating to national developments
• Explore the concept of regional partnership and what it means for the role of a board member
• Understand the growing governance focus on accountability and the need for stakeholder engagement
• Identify the key role of the board during a period of organisational change and uncertainty.

Non-Exec CPD Workshops

These sessions are specifically designed for nonexecutive members of college boards. They will focus on topics which have been identified by board members themselves as issues for further development. Recognising that non-executives are busy people these CPD events are designed to be short and focussed, lasting for 2 and a half hours and starting at 4.30 to 7pm. They will be held in different parts of the country so that they are accessible to as many board members as possible.

Culture and Behaviours

17 November 2011 and 15 March 2012

The membership of boards and individual committees are constantly changing and so the challenge of rebuilding and maintaining an appropriate culture and its associated behaviours never goes away. This short and focussed workshop offers an insight into how culture and behaviours evolve around a board or committee
table, examines simple but effective techniques for influencing them and allows board members to hear about the experiences of their colleagues in different colleges. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Review the classic dilemmas faced by boards and their committees in maintaining an appropriate culture
• Identify some of the common barriers to a culture of mutual respect, joint ownership and constructive challenge at board and committee level
• Explore tools and techniques for fostering and sustaining an appropriate culture.

The Board as Employer

8 December 2011 and 3 May 2012

The sector is facing a period of great change and uncertainty. In such an environment it is vital that non-executive board members understand their responsibilities to their employees and are confident in fulfilling them. This short and focussed workshop explores a number of key steps that board members can take to ensure that they are in the best possible position to support their staff through this challenging period. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Review the main areas of concern for staff and the key legal/union issues
• Explore lessons learned from previous restructuring
• Exchange ideas for maintaining and building engagement with staff
• Assess how to maintain a focus on performance during a period of change.

Evaluation and Performance

27 January 2012 and 13 June 2012

Boards across the public and private sectors have shown a reluctance to develop strong evaluation processes that measure their own performance. This is partly because it has not been an easy thing to do but there are growing demands from Ministers and the taxpayer for clearer accountability of how their money is being spent and what performance it is delivering. This short and focussed workshop takes these issues head on and explores the key
steps that need to be taken if a board or its individual committees want to evaluate and be able to demonstrate their performance. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Understand what ‘good’ looks like for a board or a committee
• Recognise the practical and emotional barriers to evaluation and how they can be overcome
• Explore the benefits of evaluation and how they can be used to engage with stakeholders
• Exchange experiences with colleagues on other college boards.

Further Information

All events are free to attend.

Detailed information on each development opportunity will be made available via Scotland’s Colleges website. This programme will be updated to include opportunities to consider key sectoral developments.
For further information on any element of the Governance Development Programme please contact Lesley Whelan, Manager – Next Practice Tel: 01786 892043.

Upcoming Events can be viewed in the Governance Development Programme (109.12 kB) Leaflet which was updated on 24 March 2011.

Past Event Information

2010

Monday 6 December 2010 (Challenging Times for Governance - Governance Development Programme Conference)

• Governance Annual Conference Programme (47.64 kB)
• Role of Boards and Public Sector Efficiencies - Robert Black (940.95 kB)
• Future Governance Challenges - Martin Fairbairn (284.04 kB)
• Sectoral Approaches to Governance - Angela Scott (1.96 MB)
• Sectoral Approaches to Governance Links - Angela Scott (5.97 kB)
• Getting the Finances Right - Angela Scott (147.1 kB)
• View videos from the session
• Feedback to follow

Event Videos

Brian Keegan, Chair, Governance Steering Group and Chair, Langside College

Brian will welcome delegates to the event and outline the main areas of focus for the conference.

Robert Black, Auditor General, Audit Scotland

Martin Fairbairn, Senior Director Institutions and Corporate Service, SFC

Angela Scott, Head of CIPFA in Scotland

Friday 22 October 2010 (Corporate Governance)

• Programme - 221010 (27.33 kB)
• Presentation - 221010 (405.5 kB)
• Feedback to follow after December Steering Group

Friday 17 September 2010 (Continual Improvement)

• Programme - 170910 (28.22 kB)
• Presentation 170910 (649.5 kB)
• Feedback 170910 (26.4 kB)

Monday 14 June 2010 (Corporate Governance)

• Programme 140610 (131.5 kB)
• Presentation (405.5 kB)
• Flipchart Slides - Monday 14 June 2010 (26.5 kB)
• Feedback 140610 (186 kB)

Monday 31 May 2010 (Strategic Leadership)

• Programme 310510 (131.5 kB)
• Presentation (1.27 MB)
• Feedback 310510 (196.5 kB)

Tuesday 09 March 2010 (Corporate Governance)

• Programme (559.5 kB)
• Presentation (403.5 kB)
• Feedback 090310 (195 kB)

Wednesday 10 February 2010 (Continual Improvement)

• Programme (571.5 kB)
• Presentation (649.5 kB)
• Feedback 100210 (71.74 kB)