On June 20, the Mine Action Information Center (MAIC) at James Madison University (JMU) will begin its second annual Senior Managers? Course (SMC) for senior-level landmine action staff of national mine-action programs. The five-week course which ends July 22, sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is designed to combine the best theoretical approaches in the study of management with real-life case studies and scenarios from the field of mine action.
Approximately 40 JMU faculty professors and guest lecturers will speak on many different subjects ranging from International Law to Human Resources Management to the Economics of Disaster. Classes in communication skills, strategic planning, stakeholder analysis and information technology are also part of the curriculum.
Student participants for the SMC are chosen by UNDP in coordination with national mine action program staff and other responsible national government officials. This year?s class is comprised of 25 selected participants, drawn from various mine-action programs around the world, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Mozambique, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. Twenty to 23 participants are expected to attend; Iran and Iraq have not yet confirmed attendance.
As a result of their participation in the SMC, attendees will be better prepared to work effectively as leaders of their national mine action organizations. They will also learn about mine-action programs from around the world, as well as new techniques and technologies for ridding the world of dangerous landmines. Students will be introduced to American culture through planned social events as well. JMU?s President Linwood Rose will host a reception for participants on the evening of July 6.
The Mine Action Information Center was established at JMU as a Center of Excellence with a mandate to collect, process, analyze and disseminate information relevant to humanitarian mine clearance, victim assistance, community risk reduction, refugee resettlement and other landmine-related issues. As an information clearinghouse, the MAIC functions as a switchboard for queries, hosts conferences and symposia on landmine-related topics, publishes a mine-action journal, maintains a high-quality website at http://maic.jmu.edu, develops mine-awareness materials, produces GIS products and conducts studies and surveys designed to facilitate and improve global mine action.
The MAIC has a small full-time staff that organizes faculty, students and other subject-matter experts into teams that address specific landmine-related issues. Drawing on JMU's capabilities and student initiatives, the MAIC is in a unique position to facilitate integrative approaches and innovative concepts in mine action, while utilizing dependable information techniques to support demining operations. JMU finds and processes appropriate information, analyzes it, presents a responsible venue for it, and conducts quality research that focuses on the key functions of mine action.
For more information about the Senior Managers? Course, contact Amy Burkhardt, project manager, at (540) 568-2332.
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