Parliamentary staff from 14 Commonwealth Parliaments have undertaken a staff development programme at McGill University, Montreal, Canada which has been organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in collaboration with McGill University’s School of Continuing Studies. Created in response to the voiced needs of parliamentary staff, Programme Coordinator, Professor Rick Stapenhurst from McGill University officially opened the residency seminar and described the programme as “a unique tool that builds on the skills and capacity of senior parliamentary staff to help them better serve their Parliaments.”
Originally founded by the World Bank and McGill University in collaboration with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and other international partners, this intensive professional development programme includes a one-week residency seminar followed by expert-moderated online courses and is attended by senior parliamentary staff from across the Commonwealth. The programme offers parliamentary staff the opportunity to obtain a Professional Development Certificate in Parliamentary Management and covers a diverse range of topics including: Parliamentary Administration, Parliamentary Research and IT, Parliamentary Committees, Public Financial Management and Corporate Management of Parliaments.
