The Directors College

Currently serving on a public, private or major not for profit organization board.
Currently employed as a CEO or CFO, who has significant experience interacting with boards.
Currently serving as a Corporate Secretary or other member of the management team, who has significant experience interacting with boards and is getting ready for their first board appointment.

Candidates who meet the standard below will also be considered for admission on a case by case basis:

Individuals currently serving as a consultant to boards
Individuals, who are not currently serving on a board, but have board experience on a public, private or major not for profit organization within the past twelve months.

In addition, prior to being admitted to the program, all applicants must:

Have a university designation
Complete the financial literacy quiz offered on The Directors College website
Acknowledge having read the Code of Conduct and have a willingness to adhere to it as a potential Chartered Director.

All admissions are subject to the review and final approval of The Directors College admissions committee. Any candidate who is not admitted into the program will be contacted within 30 days of their registration by a member of the admission committee.

What payment methods are available?

All fees must be paid in advance of the module date. Registration fees can be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) via our online registration system. Please note that if you register for all five modules at once, your credit card will not be charged for all sessions simultaneously. Unless otherwise requested, the credit card provided will be charged approximately 6-8 weeks prior to the start date of each module. Participants may also pay by cheque; cheques should be made payable to "The Directors College" and mailed to The Directors College c/o The Conference Board of Canada, 255 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M7. If you are paying by cheques, please ensure your cheque is mailed two weeks in advance of the session date to ensure the payment is processed before the start of your session.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellations received up to 4 weeks prior to the starting date of a program may transfer their registration to the next available session for an administration fee of $300.00 or are subject to a cancellation fee of 50% of the module fee. Cancellations received within the 2 weeks prior to the starting date of the program are subject to a full forfeit of the program fee.

Is tuition for The Directors College tax deductible?

We do not currently have status as a tax deductible educational institute. Your accountant should be able to advise you on any business deductions that may be applicable to your tuition.

The Chartered Director Program

Who should register for the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) program?

Directors serving on a corporate board and candidates who intend to serve on corporate boards who are interested in, and committed to, mastering the structure and dynamics of corporate governance.

Are there any prerequisites for registration in the program?

It is strongly recommended that participants have board experience. For participants who do not have board experience, business experience at a senior level is essential. Participants who do not have board experience or experiences at senior levels of business are examined on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are suitable candidates for the C.Dir. designation or participation in the second track option.

What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?

The registration fee of $4000 per module includes all program delivery over the 2 1/4 day period, all course materials, and all meals and accommodation at a 5 star resort during the session. Also included in the fee is the exam administration, registration to the graduation and CBoC Spencer Stuart National Awards in Governance Awards gala and listing in the Directors College searchable database of directors. It does not include travel to and from the module location. There are five modules required to complete the Chartered Director program, so participants who are pursuing the C.Dir. designation will pay a total of $20,000 in registration fees. As of January 1, 2009 fees will increase to $4,120 per module for a total of $20,600 to complete all five modules.

Where are the Chartered Director Program sessions held?

The Directors College sessions in Ontario are held at White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

How do I get from the airport to the session?

Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from the session. The Directors College does not endorse or recommend any particular travel company or means of transportation. However, we get a number of requests from participants looking to book taxis or sedans, so some options are listed below.
Directions: http://www.whiteoaksresort.ca/directions.asp

For travel to Niagara-on-the-Lake:
* Award Limousine (sedan service, no credit card payments): 905-525-8679
* Niagara Airbus (sedan & shuttle service): http://www.niagaraairbus.com/ or 1-800-268-8111
* 5-0 Taxi (taxi and sedan service): (905) 685-5463.

The Directors College can not guarantee the quality of any of the services listed as we are not affiliated with any of these companies.

When do the modules begin and end?

All sessions are run from Thursday begin at 4:30pm and officially end between 5-6pm on Saturday. Accommodations are provided on Thursday and Friday evenings. Meals include Thursday dinner, all day Friday including dinner and Saturday breakfast, lunch and snacks. Saturday night accommodation can be arranged for those individuals traveling from outside the province and who request it in advance of the session. Participants wishing to arrive in advance of Thursday and beyond Saturday will have to make their own arrangements for accommodation.

Please note at the completion of Module 5 we offer a Saturday night dinner to all participants and invite them to bring a guest along.

Is attendance mandatory at all sessions?

For those participants who intend to pursue the C.Dir. designation attendance at all sessions of all modules is mandatory. If you have a special situation that you feel may warrant an exception to this policy, please advise The Directors College management team that you would like to make an official request for an exemption to this policy. All such requests will be examined on a case-by-case basis and you will receive notification of the outcome of your request. In most cases, exemptions to this policy will not be granted, as attendance at all portions of the program is essential.

How long does it take to complete the Chartered Director program?

Chartered Director delegates can complete the program as quickly as our program calendar permits (normally 3 to 8 months, depending on the selected start date). Module 1 is strongly recommended as the first course of the program and Module 5 must be taken as the fifth and final course of the program; Modules 2, 3, and 4 may be taken in any order. Candidates must complete all five modules within an 18 month period to be eligible for the C.Dir. designation. If you have a special situation that you feel may warrant an exception to this policy, please email The Directors College management team to make an official request for an exemption to this policy. All such requests will be examined on a case-by-case basis and you will receive notification of the outcome of your request. In most cases, exemptions to this policy will not be granted, as timely completion of the program is essential to the learning process.

When do delegates complete their C.Dir. examination?

At Module 5, delegates are provided with a list of ten consecutive business days available for the exam and they must provide three date selections within the pre-selected two-week window. Although every effort is made to accommodate the first choice of each delegate, room and proctor availability may require scheduling the exam on their second or third choice of dates. Exams can be scheduled in major cities across Canada including Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Saint John, St. John's or Halifax.

How is the exam structured? Upcoming dates?

The exam for the Chartered Director program currently consists of 200 multiple choice questions and is based on the material covered in all 5 Modules of the program. The exam is 4 hours in length and is scheduled after the completion of Module 5 - The Board Simulation. Access to on-line practice exams is provided in the waiting period between Module 5 and the exam date.

Exam Period for 2008
September 8 - 19, 2008
January 7 - 16, 2009

The Chairs Forum

What is The Chairs Forum?

The Chairs Forum is a one day session that offers a unique opportunity for board and committee chairs to gain roundtable viewpoints on the skills, practices and interpersonal dynamics inherent to effective leadership. The Third annual Chairs Forum will be held in Toronto on November 24, 2008. The cost for The Chairs Forum is $1,100 which includes the learning material and on-site meal.

Human Resources and Compensation Committee Certified (HRCC)

When will this program be launched?

The HRCC Modules are being held in Toronto, ON unless stated otherwise.

2008 Program Dates:
Module 1 – May 27-28, 2008
Module 2 – June 17-18, 2008
Module 1- October 6-7, 2008 (location in Toronto to be confirmed)
Module 2- November 3-4, 2008 (location in Toronto to be confirmed)

Who should register for the Human Resources and Compensation Committee Certified (HRCC) program?

This program is designed for new or more experienced members of the Human Resource and Compensation Committee who wish to enhance their skills and knowledge, as well as behaviour and group dynamics, specific to the challenging responsibilities of this committee. The HRCC program goes beyond fundamental skills to equip you with best practice and leading edge tools.

What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?

The cost for each Human Resources and Compensation Committee module is $2,250 which includes all learning material and on-site meals. It does not include hotel accommodation or travel to and from the module location.

Is attendance mandatory at all sessions?

For those participants who intend to pursue the Committee Certification attendance at all sessions of all modules is mandatory.

Is there an exam?

Successful completion of a comprehensive national exam is required for all Committee Certifications.

Financial Literacy

What are the dates for the Financial Literacy program being held?

The Financial Literacy Program is being held in Toronto unless stated otherwise.
The 2008 dates are as follows:
*April 21-22, 2008 (location in Toronto to be confirmed)
*October 20-21, 2008 (location in Toronto to be confirmed)

What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?

The registration fee of $2,200 per program includes over the 2 day period, copies of prepared handouts and available texts, and lunch during the session. It does not include hotel accommodation or travel to and from the module location.

Frequently Asked Questions >
Where are the sessions held?
Are there any plans to hold sessions in other provinces?
Announcements >
Ms. Anju Virmani - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the appointment of seven new members to the 15-member Advisory Council on National Security (ACNS)* 8/7/2008 > [more]

Mr. Paul Tice New Appointment - NAV Canada* 8/7/2008 > [more]

Human Resources and Compensation Committee Certified

Tailored to the needs of directors and corporate officers who want to learn how leading corporations apply the latest corporate governance principles, practices and insights to Compensation Committee procedures.

For more information click here... [>more]

Accreditation by Institutional Shareholder Services

ISS has accredited The Directors College after a rigourous review of our curriculum... [>more]