Professional development and the Institute of Information Scientists

Abstract

A working party to examine professional development is sues set up by the UK Institute of Information Scientists Professional Standards & Development Committee is de scribed. It studied a variety of methods and problems and made some 21 recommendations which are enumerated. The topics covered by the working party's report are detailed and discussed. Aspects which were covered included institutional and individual attitudes, staff induction, government pro grammes such as PICKUP, distance education, information tech nology, visits and exchanges, cooperation, appraisal, research, mentoring, personal mapping, professional stagnation, unem ployment/redundancy, and external factors such as European Communities' activity, the role of government agencies in monitoring qualifications, and favourable tax treatment of investment in professional development. The options for CPD are not applicable to all members and this point is highlighted in a minority view in the working party's report.

The working party drew on information yielded by a sam ple survey of IIs members and some of its findings are noted.

A concluding commentary reviews the aftermath of the appearance of the report and examines the current situation and future prospects for professional development for mforma tion scientists.

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References

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