Custom-designed programming

Custom energy executive education designed for strategic impact

The College of Business and Economics’ Executive Education team develops and delivers custom-designed education programs to a variety of client organizations. These cutting-edge programs are designed to accelerate your company’s strategic goals in the rapidly changing global business world. Our in-depth program development process begins with four components:

• Assessing client needs to be addressed through a custom-designed education program
• Identifying the logistics required to conduct the program
• Presenting a report of findings based on needs and logistics assessments
• Developing a detailed program proposal

All custom-designed programs use our priority-based design to reflect the needs expressed by our client partners. Our competency-based curriculum is adapted in close collaboration with industry executives to ensure that the custom-designed program serves your company. Location, schedule, flexibility and diverse classroom activities combine to create an interactive learning environment. A comprehensive evaluation process is used to create measured learning results and demonstrate learning outcomes.

Partnership with Executive Education will enable your company to design the ideal and most practical program to meet your individual and organizational needs. The measured learning results offer a first-hand view of the impact of the competency-based curriculum.

Designing a custom program

Needs assessment

A typical needs assessment is conducted over a two-day period at a time convenient to the your organization. The assessment team interviews your personnel regarding the following issues:

• What are the most important goals to achieve in a new custom-designed education program?
• Who is the specific target audience?
• What specific topics should be addressed? (A sample of potential topics is provided for initial consideration. Others are included as they emerge from the interviews.)
• Identify preliminary faculty from our network of industry and academic leaders.
• How should the program be organized?
  • What is an appropriate program length?
  • Will more than one session be necessary?
  • What times of year are best?
  • Where is the best location to conduct a program?
  • How should the program be structured to best maximize results?
  • What learning formats are most effective for your organization?

Logistics assessment

Determines potential sites, classroom technology resources, food service options and other resources required for a successful program. The site visit for the needs assessment may also be used to conduct the logistics assessment.

Report of findings

Summarizes the key results from the needs assessment interviews and offers a general framework for a new development effort based on these findings. The report of findings serves as a basis for the detailed program proposal.

Detailed program proposal

The detailed program proposal includes design features and program philosophy, program mission and objectives, potential participants and a suggested schedule. It proposes program topics, describes course modules, identifies target learning objectives to be achieved and lists the most suitable instructors and their credentials. It also discusses program evaluation through our measured learning results assessment tool, follow-up options and curriculum review. In addition, the detailed program proposal also identifies a program budget, supporting materials and logistics including program site options.

Launching your custom-designed program

The Executive Education team will work closely with your organization to form a successful partnership to achieve your strategic goals. Whether your custom-designed program involves a small sector of an industry or requires a comprehensive overview of an industry, University of Idaho has the tools and expertise to deliver your program successfully.

Contact Yvonne Sertich at yvonnes@uidaho.edu or Dishonna Arnett at darnett@uidaho.edu to learn more about creating a custom-designed education program.