ACTIVITY

ASFOR main activities are:

INSTITUTIONAL PROJECTS
The Institutional projects reflect the Association’s mission. They are of high importance for the achievement of its objectives because of their broad outward-looking perspective and their contribution to the diffusion of qualified managerial culture. In particular, the “Master Programme Accreditation Process” aims at stimulating a process of continuous quality improvement, self-discipline and greater transparency in the management education market. For these process ASFOR cooperates with the most prestigious institutions to improve the quality of education systems. The official list of ASFOR Accredited Masters is also available from the site www.asfor.it.

THE WORKING GROUPS
The working groups represent the main modus operandi characterizing the Association.
They are set up whenever issues emerge – or are raised by members – for study or research on the differente Management issues. They gather experts who periodically meet or promote on line communities in order to exchange views, knowledge, competences and professional experience.
Currently the following working groups are active:
•    National and international Certification and Accreditation;
•    ASFOR Communication;
•    Corporate Learning;
•    Management Education for Public Administration;
•    Management Education for SMEs;
•    Internationalization;
•    Education for Diversity Management;
•    Innovative Methods for Management Education and National Observatory of e-Learning supply and demand;
•    Relationship with Entrepreneurs Associations;
•    Relationship with the Public Institutions and national associations on issues of Human Resources development;
•    ASFOR research and relationship with the university system;
•    Development of Management Education in Southern Italy;
•    Lifelong Learning and Labour market.

RESEARCH, WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES
As part of its institutional program, ASFOR organizes seminars, round tables and conferences on the themes of education and economic and social context in Italy, involving the main institutional players. It also organizes the ASFOR Annual Conference when the results of research activity are presented:
•    Survey on “ASFOR members management education supply”
•    Observatory on “Distance Learning Managerial Education carried out by ASFOR Members”;
•    “Learning Observatory”: survey on the demand on management education of Italian and international companies;
•    “Focus Group”: qualitative survey on Management education needs;
•    Survey on “ASFOR members management education supply for the Public Administration” which is published in the Annual Report on education in the Public Administration, by Scuola Superiore Pubblica Amministrazione and Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri (Italian Government).

PATRONAGE TO INITIATIVES
To support initiatives to enhance education and interest in the Association initiated by members or external bodies, ASFOR gives its patronage to events/trade fairs etc., and plays an active role in promoting any support activities.

THE EUROPEAN NETWORKS
ASFOR is:
•    member of the EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development);
•    founding member of EQUAL – European Quality Link (the international association of quality assessment and accreditation agencies in the field of European management education);
•    supporting association of EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System), which is the European system of Business-School of Management accreditation and EPAS (the EFMD Programme Accreditation System).
Moreover, ASFOR has subscribed partnerships with such international associations as CEEMAN-Central and East European Management Development Association, CLADEA-Latin American Council of Management Schools and RABE-The Russian Association of Business Education.

EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES
•    ASFOR publishes its own newsletter “Lettera ASFOR Rivista dell’Associazione Italiana per la Formazione Manageriale”, that addresses the key issues of management education, reporting surveys and studies, contributions and news.
•    ASFOR collaborates with media, press, websites, sector guides that address the issues of management education, through contributions aimed at highlighting the studies carried out and submitting proposals on how to develop management education in Italy (through interviews)

CASE STUDIES COLLECTION
In 1976, ASFOR set up a Clearing House that nowadays consists of some 2,000 cases and teaching materials. This is a service addressed to the association members and to a wider audience of schools of management, education institutes, banks, public institutions, enterprises and not for profit organizations, with the objective of spreading knowledge of the main education tools. The Clearing House is constantly updated by the association members.