HOSTING A COURSE
Introduction
Analytical training programs from The Intelligence Study Centre are presently available in two formats: by face-to-face method and by distance learning.
- Classroom courses are run by the company itself and these are advertised regularly on our website and via professional newsgroups on the Internet.
- In addition, the opportunity is available for agencies, corporations and departments to "reserve" a course wholly for themselves, by hosting a training event. This paper briefly outlines the procedure for arranging this and the issues involved.
The Concept of "Hosting"
When an agency determines that its training needs require it to nominate a significant number of individuals for a specific program, then that agency has the choice to reserve the whole event and take over the host role from the company itself. This allows the agency host to decide who should attend, when and where the training is to be held, secure in the knowledge that the event becomes "closed" for its own use and thus able to focus on issues of its specific interests.
Applicants from outside the agency may only be allowed if the host agency decides to accommodate this, allowing for the view that some cross-pollination is useful in the exchange of ideas and approaches.
Role and Responsibilities of The Intelligence Study Centre
The responsibility for designing and adapting the course program to suit the host agency's needs is that of ISC. The company has considerable experience across a wide range of enforcement, regulatory, compliance and corporate settings and can, without undue difficulty, make the standard course become one that is agency-specific. Our role encompasses the following:
- ISC will design and prepare the training program, using its established training course products and adapting them to suit the host agency's interests and focus.
- ISC will provide all the necessary training books, examples and assignments/exercises for each student.
- ISC will develop and bring any necessary training aids, including its own computer and PowerPoint presentation material.
- ISC will provide two (sometimes one for short programs) expert Intelligence Analysts/Instructors to conduct the program.
- ISC will conduct a course evaluation and provide the results to the host agency management.
The Host Agency's Responsibilities
The host agency is responsible, at its direct cost, for the provision of administrative support including the following:
- selection of the participating students from within the host agency and, if desired, including individuals from other agencies (the optimum total number of students is 20);
- arrangement of a venue for the training program: this will include a main classroom with seating and tables to suit the numbers of students;
- provision of several separate workgroup break-out rooms, allowing for no more than five students per group;
- provision of a suitable PC/desktop computer with standard office suite (MS Office) programs loaded, sufficient for at least one per workgroup break-out room (preferably two), plus a printer for each room or easy access to a central printer;
- equipping of the training rooms and break-out rooms with whiteboards and flipcharts
- provision of a digital light projector in the main training room, to be operated throughout the program by ISC's instructor(s) using the company's laptop computer;
- provision of appropriate consumable stores and stationery, such as ring binders, writing pads, pens, whiteboard and flipchart markers and so on;
- provision of photocopying facilities for handout papers, exercises and answer sheets; and
- arrangement and provision of suitable hotel accommodation for the ISC instructor(s), from the day before commencement of the program through to and including the final day.
Costs and Financial Arrangements
The cost for conducting open company-organised training course is set on the basis of an individual student fee, with an expected minimum threshold number of participants. Costs vary according to the country or region involved.
As an example of the benefits, for ten-day intensive training program (such as ISC's strategic and operational advanced analysis courses), the typical minimum threshold number is set at 12, the optimum 16 and a possible maximum of 20. The contract rate for a hosted course is a set fee agreed between the host agency and ISC and offers a substantial saving (approximately 20%) over individual fees if charged for the same number of students. Additional savings accrue by virtue of the fact that there are few, if any, costs to the agency associated with student travel, accommodation, per diems, etc.
Student fees are payable in advance for ISC-run "open" courses.
Payment for hosted courses will be made immediately upon completion (a 7-day account).
Copyright and Intellectual Property
Apart from any material in the training reference manual that may be so noted, ISC asserts that copyright ownership of the intellectual property used in delivering its intelligence analysis doctrine is vested in Istana Enterprises Pty. Ltd. of Australia, the parent corporation of the ISC group. The host agency must accept these claims regarding copyright ownership of the material.
The host agency is asked to acknowledge that the service contract is for delivery of the training program only and does not include the following:
- any licence for future use of the training material;
- any further photocopying or reproduction of the training material beyond that necessary for the conduct of the program outlined in this Agreement, or
- any transfer of the copyright.
Further, the host agency is asked to make every reasonable endeavour to ensure that all participants of the training program, as well as its own officers and staff, accept this requirement and abide by international copyright and intellectual property law and custom.
Negotiating and Executing a Contract
Arrangement of a hosted training course is dependent upon the host agency entering into a service contract with ISC. The company supplies its standard contract that includes the issues discussed in this paper, and will commit itself to scheduling and resourcing the program only when both parties have executed such a contract.
How to arrange a Hosted Course
Simply contact ISC:
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