Press Release: 11-07-2011
For Immediate Use
Sir Merrick Cockell presents the UK’s first
Postgraduate Certificates in Shared Services
Sir Merrick Cockell, LGA Chairman and Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, has
presented graduation certificates to the UK’s first cohort of public sector leaders and
managers to achieve a postgraduate certificate in shared services. The presentation took
place in London on the 5th of July 2011.
The six month postgraduate programme has been designed and delivered through a
partnership between Canterbury Christ Church University and Shared Service Architects.
Funded by the RIEPs, over 200 councils in England have put Members and senior managers
through the Shared Services Architects programme, which forms the first part of the
certificate programme.
Before handing out the certificates, Sir Merrick stressed the importance of training and
developing the shared service skills and knowledge of both Members and senior managers
so that they can deliver the benefits of shared service activity effectively and rapidly.
Dr. Wim van Vuuren, Programme Director for the university, added that many Member and
senior managers have been thrust into shared service activity without sufficient training,
putting both their organisation and their personal credibility at risk. Collaborative working is
in fact very difficult, as is reflected in the low success rate of mergers and alliances in the
private sector.
Cllr Gary Porter, Leader of South Holland DC was among the graduates receiving their
certificates from Sir Merrick. Gary told the gathering that the six month programme had
helped him immensely with the challenges encountered in setting up Compass Point
Business Services, with East Lindsey District Council and with his shared management
programme with Breckland DC. He felt that the collection of over 100 shared service tools,
techniques and templates, provided in the foundation module, were particularly helpful.
The university is now inviting applications for the October 2011 cohort. More information
on the postgraduate certificate is available from wim.van-vuuren@canterbury.ac.uk.
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For further press information on the postgraduate certificate please contact: Dr. Wim Van
Vuuren, Programme Director, Canterbury Christ Church University T: +44 (0) 1227 782118
E: wim.van-vuuren@canterbury.ac.uk
For further details on the foundation module’s 100 tools, templates and techniques please
contact: Dominic Macdonald-Wallace, Director of Learning and Development, Shared
Service Architecture Ltd. T: 0796 898 5544 E:
Dominic.Wallace@sharedservicearchitects.co.uk
About Canterbury Christ Church University
Canterbury Christ Church University is a modern university with a particular strength in
higher education for the public services.
With nearly 20,000 students, and five campuses across Kent, its courses span a wide range
of academic and professional expertise.
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In 2010 the Faculty of Education received ‘outstanding’ grades in its Ofsted report
for primary, secondary and post-compulsory programmes, together with its
employment-based routes into teaching. The University’s primary provision has the
unique record of having been awarded the highest Ofsted grades in all inspections
since 1996.
94 % of our recent graduates gain employment or are in further study in the first six
months after graduating (2009/10 DLHE survey).
Along with over a thousand undergraduate, postgraduate and professional training
courses on offer, we are also home to world-leading and internationally recognised
research in Education, History, Music and Sports Related Studies.
Canterbury Christ Church University was founded in 1962 by the Church of England
as a teacher training college.
Shared Service Architecture Ltd
Shared Service Architecture Ltd is a dynamic teaching company focused on equipping politicians and
senior managers in the public sector with the skills and knowledge to design and initiate in-house,
successful shared service partnerships.
SSA has written the four core text books for the postgrad programme, provides the largest library of
shared service documents in the UK and publishes Shared Service Architects Magazine to update the
learning of its alumni.
SSA Ltd span out of research work carried out at Canterbury Christ Church University and has already
delivered shared service skills and knowledge training to over 600 managers from councils, F&R, FE,
HE and consultancy. Over the last two years, it has formed partnerships for the delivery of it courses
with Canterbury Christ Church University, the Association of Colleges, CIPFA and a number of RIEPs.