In collaboration with industry, the DCU Ryan Academy has developed a Farm Entrepreneurship and Leadership Programme. The next running of this programme will start next week, Monday 7Â of October and there are still a limited number of places available.
This seven-day programme is delivered in one-day modules between October to December. Participants in the course can work towards attaining a FETAC Level 6 Certificate in Corporate Governance.
The programme gives farmers and farm leaders an opportunity to gain an insight from thought leaders and industry experts in topics including: developing business plans, financial management and funding models, risk management, leadership and management, ethics and succession planning, entrepreneurship and innovation for sustainable business.
Speaking recently to AgriLand, Ann Horan, chief executive of the Ryan Academy explained it was approached last year by a group from the agri-food sector who expressed an interest in our work. The group included representatives from the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society, Dairy Ireland and Nuffield scholars.
The pilot programme commenced on 31 October last year where a group of 22 farm leaders signed up to attend five days of workshops and complete group assignments over a two-month period.
“We realise  farming is a business and farmers need to start thinking in these terms,” she explained. “We felt that they could benefit from becoming more entrepreneurial in their approach and from looking at how other sectors innovate.
“From a leadership perspective, it seemed to us the sector hadn’t really considered issues of corporate governance and could be in danger of making the mistakes already made by other sectors, most notably the banking sector.
“Finally, the DCU Ryan Academy felt many farmers would benefit from working on their own leadership and management styles and similar to all of us, could improve their communication skills.”
For further information about the programme, details and bookings click here.
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