Education and Training Committee / Comité d’Éducation et Formation

CPA Education and Training Committee: Terms of Reference

In the context of the restructuring of the Association in 1995/96, the Board of Directors developed a Strategic Plan for the Association. The plan identified a series of goals and objectives for Education, Practice, and Science that were adopted in principle by the Board in June, 1997. Subsequent Strategic Plans were developed in the intervening years to ensure that the Association’s principles, policies, and activities reflect its mission, objectives, and responsibilities to its members and the general public. The terms of reference for the Education and Training (E&T) Committee are in part based on or derived from the goals and actions associated with the Education and Training component of the triumvirate, as described in the Strategic Plan for 2013-2018 (April, 2013).

Mandate

The Education and Training Committee’s mandate is to support and promote education and training of psychology in Canada. The Committee carries out this responsibility through activities that achieve the following goals.

The support and promotion of:

• education and training in psychology throughout all stages of university study
• post-degree and post-licensure continuing education needs of researchers and practitioners in psychology
• development of standards and guidelines for training in psychology
• pre- and post-graduate skills and competencies that will equip psychologists to carry out their roles as evidence-informed scientists, educators, and practitioners
• education of the public and other stakeholders on psychological topics
• recognition of the contributions of teachers, trainers, and students of psychology

In fulfillment of its mandate and goals, the Education and Training Committee will carry out the following activities:

1. oversee, review and administer criteria for approval of individual continuing education events and sponsors
2. make relevant, quality, and timely education workshops and materials accessible to the membership through such vehicles as the CPA Annual Convention, CPA publications, CPA website, and online courses
3. maintain accurate, up-to-date records on continuing education participation for CPA members (i.e., accumulated CE credits) and on the CE proposals received and approved annually
4. oversee and support the work of CPA’s Accreditation Panel, which is responsible for developing and implementing the standards to which accredited doctoral and internship programs in Canada are accountable
5. support and develop educational and training opportunities for students
6. encourage nomination for the CPA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training in Psychology and provide input on this award to the Committee on Fellows and Awards
7. support the recognition of student excellence through appropriate initiatives (e.g., Certificates of Academic Excellence)
8. collaborate with bodies internal to CPA concerned with education and training (e.g., CPA Accreditation Panel, CPA Practice Directorate, CPA Convention Committee, CPA Membership Committee, CPA Section on Students) and external to CPA (e.g., Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology, Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs) on matters related to principles and standards of education
9. collaborate with regulatory bodies of psychology to align regulatory requirements for practice across Canada’s jurisdictions with the standards and requirements of accreditation and of the programmes that educate and train psychologists in Canada
10. prepare periodic reports for the CPA Board of Directors on request as well as an annual report
11. respond to other matters as appropriate at the direction of the CPA Board of Directors, the request of senior CPA staff, and/or at the instigation of Committee members
12. communicate the Committee’s mandate and activities effectively to CPA membership (e.g., social media, CPA News)
13. assist in the development of education materials for the general public and other stakeholders on psychological matters that respond to their interests and needs (e.g., through social media, public lectures, Psychology Works Fact Sheets)

Accountability

The Committee is a Standing Committee of the Board of Directors and reports to the Board through the Director Responsible for Education and Training who is the Committee Chair.

Membership

The Committee members are recruited by the Director Responsible for Education and Training and appointed annually by the Board of Directors with such functions and duties as the Board of Directors shall establish from time to time. The Chair shall be appointed annually by the President from among the members of the Board of Directors.

Committee Size and Communications

CPA committees are important membership recruitment and retention vehicles. The goal of each committee chair is to recruit a minimum of 10 committee members from a diverse cross section of CPA members. The Committee needs to be active, with communications occurring regularly between the Chair and Committee members and various subcommittees. This includes at least one teleconference meeting of the full committee per year and a yearly meeting at the CPA Annual Convention in June. Committee membership is a good training and recruitment tool for senior positions within the Association and Committee members are excellent, informed ambassadors for CPA and CPA’s activities.

Responsibilities of Committee Members

Committee members are responsible for pursuing the CPA’s vision (outlined in the Strategic Plan) and the goals and terms of reference of the Committee. To this effect, members participate in all discussions pertaining to the work of the Committee and work on projects or issues brought forward by the Committee, the Board of Directors, the Sections, and the members, as appropriate.

Membership Term

The Committee Chair recruits and invites members, with the Board member responsible for the Committee advised on recruitment decisions. Members are appointed for a three (3) year term. Membership recruitment and retirement is staggered to ensure continuity and Committee institutional memory.

Meetings and Reporting

Throughout the year communication will take place primarily through e-mail. Conference calls will be arranged as required by the Chair. Meetings are minuted. Regular communication of the plans and activities of the Committee will be provided to the membership through the Committee’s Annual Report to the Annual General Meeting, articles in Psynopsis and information on the web site, and to the Board of Directors through reports to each Board meeting by the Committee Chair/Co-Chair. The Committee meets at the conclusion of each Convention.