This year, the MI (Master of Information) Curriculum Committee embarked on a full review and revision of the MI Competencies. These competencies are the measurable skills, abilities, and behaviours required to be a successful IM professional. All courses and learning experiences incorporate these competencies, and students will have the opportunity to gain these competencies through participation in all aspects of the program. These metrics are particularly important for the continued accreditation of MI program (by the ALA – American Library Association).
The new competencies were recently approved by SIM’s governing body, School Council. The full list can be viewed here and below.
- Adaptation: Information managers anticipate and adapt to trends in information management, support organizational change, and promote a learning culture within the organization.
- Collaboration: Information managers work effectively in teams and cultivate a culture of collaboration within the organization and build relationships with stakeholders.
- Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and decolonization: Information managers practice and critique the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and decolonization for participating in an inclusive and socially just society.
- Communication: Information managers communicate effectively, listen actively, and are receptive to feedback and suggestions.
- Digital and technological literacy: Information managers safely, responsibly, creatively, and effectively use technologies. They assess IT requirements of the organization or users and develop and implement IT strategies that support the organization’s mission.
- Evidence-based practices: Information managers promote evidence-based decision making and policies. They use adequate methods to produce, assess, synthesize, evaluate knowledge to support the organization’s activities.
- Leadership: Information managers advocate the strategic importance of information for their organization or community, promote the professional values of the field, support the development of their peers, and mobilize people and resources towards the achievement of collective goals.
- Learning: Information managers are reflexive, life-long learners who adopt a creative and innovative approach to their work.
- Management: Information managers effectively manage projects, people and resources, and ensure that the information assets and practices of the organization support its values, mission and objectives.
- User-centered design: Information Managers engage users and adapt services to their information needs and behaviours.
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