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Program Excellence Network

The Program Excellence Network (PEN) is committed to strengthening HRD academic programs and promoting excellence in teaching HRD.

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Purpose

The Program Excellence Network (PEN) is committed to strengthening HRD academic programs and promoting excellence in teaching HRD. It provides a forum for its members to explore, learn, and work together to shape the future direction of HRD education.  This includes professional development as well as fostering the scholarship of teaching.

Benefits of the PEN

  • Annual meeting of delegates to foster networking, share best practices, engage in professional development, and more!
  • Access to a members-only online community where PEN members (and their faculties) can share academic resources with each other.
  • Opportunity to participate in and receive the results of the benchmarking surveys.
  • PEN Member Public Directory to promote your academic programs.
  • Listing of your HRD academic program on the AHRD website.

Also, in the future, the PEN will:

  • Be a critical coordinator for innovative professional development related to mentoring, teaching, learning, and leading within AHRD
  • Exploring a program to administer AHRD award(s) related to program excellence
  • Implement initiatives designed to help shape the future direction of HRD education and ensure that academic programs around the world are ready for the challenge!

Structure/Governance of the PEN

Chair: Cynthia Sims

The Program Excellence Network was created by AHRD Board of Directors at the Mid-Year Board Meeting in 2006. The Board appointed a Chair and a coordinating committee who are charged with ensuring that the PEN is actively pursuing goals aligned with its purpose. Wendy Ruona, Associate Professor at The University of Georgia and AHRD Board Member, is the founding chair. During PEN's inaugural year of February 2007 to February 2008, the committee, in consultation with PEN members, is working hard to develop the processes and structures that will guide PEN.

Joining PEN

PEN membership is institutional - meaning your HRD academic program joins. PEN is open to all programs - both the undergraduate and graduate level - worldwide that provide instruction, research, service and leadership in HRD.

The annual membership fee is $99 USD.

Each program will designate a PEN delegate.  This delegate should be the chair/coordinator of the HRD academic program at the member institution (or their designated representative). Delegates must be full-time faculty members actively engaged in HRD at their home institution and must be a current AHRD member.  Delegates will represent their HRD academic program at the annual meeting as well as be the primary contact for all PEN-related communications and business.