Managing change under the spotlight
A new Masters programme at the University of Southampton aims to give Human Resources (HR) professionals the tools to tackle the challenges of managing change within an increasingly international work environment.
The School of Management will be offering this innovative postgraduate degree, aimed at senior HR executives with around five years experience, from October 2006. It will enable students to meet new Advanced Practitioner Standards of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Dr Nicholas Clarke will be leading the MSc in Human Resource Strategies.
He said: "The world of work is rapidly changing and many companies and organisations are facing a time of uncertainty. Understanding the challenges of people management at this time is crucial for success. We know many mergers and re-structures fail dismally and most change management programmes hit problems because managers do not take people issues seriously enough. Our course aims to explore these themes in depth and develop knowledge and skills so professionals can devise better ways forward."
The programme includes strategic HR management and development, organisational change, research methods, consultancy skills and an international unit involving a week at a French 'grande ecole' in Toulouse.
"We will be able to draw upon the resources of the highly-rated School of Management within one of the UK's leading research-led universities," added Dr Clarke. "I am sure the Masters in HR Strategies will produce leading-edge research in this vitally-important field."
Notes for editors
The University of Southampton is one of the UK's top 10 research universities, with a global reputation for excellence in both teaching and research. With first-rate opportunities and facilities across a wide range of subjects in science and engineering, health, arts and humanities, the University has around 20,000 students and 5000 staff at its campuses in Southampton and Winchester. Its annual turnover is in the region of £274 million.
Southampton is recognised internationally for its leading-edge research in engineering, science, computer science and medicine, and for its strong enterprise agenda. It is home to world-leading research centres, including the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton; the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research; the Optoelectronics Research Centre; the Textile Conservation Centre; the Centre for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease; and the Mountbatten Centre for International Studies.