About the Program
The Foundational In-service Training Phase II: Competency Based Professional Development Program for Finance Service (FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS) program is designed to replace the existing Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Management (PGDFM) course offered by the Institute to the RCSC selected for the Financial Service category. This is a Tier 2 modular program designed to meet the job family competencies for the finance services as per the competency-based framework for entry-level civil service. The job family competencies are those that are required at service-wide and cross-cutting competencies of finance service personnel. Participants to this program will first need to complete the Tier 1 Foundational In-service Training (FIT) program.
The FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS is developed in alignment with the transformation programs of the Civil Service by the RCSC. With the paradigm shift from traditional qualifications to competencies in the workplace, the FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS was developed after a careful review of the Competency-Based Frameworks (CBF) for various occupational groups of the civil service.
Principles
The FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS is being guided by the following principles:
- Shift from academic knowledge to skills and competency development required at the workplace.
- Learning to be driven by self-reflection, curiosity, and a growth mindset for progressive development through the pursuit of lifelong learning.
- Learning processes to integrate on-the-job (work-integrated) and classroom learning to optimize time use.
- Assessments are to be an integral part of the program to monitor and evaluate the learning and development and ensure the commitment of participants.
- Targeted and specialized competency development required for the job.
- Prepare for a logical and rational career path in the civil service.
Target Participants
The participants for this training program will be the RCSC select general graduates entering the Bhutan Civil Service in the Professional and Management Category (PMC) for Finance Services. Participants need to complete the Tier 1 Foundational In-service Training (FIT) program before they enroll in the program.
Program objectives
The objective of the FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS is:
- To impart job family competencies required for Finance Service category in the civil service at the foundational or entry level based on the competency-based framework,
- To develop skills and attitude essential to pursue lifelong and continuous learning, and
- To provide opportunity for work-integrated and collaborative learning with continuous support from facilitators and supervisors.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the training program, participants should:
- Be able to perform public financial management based on relevant principles, practices and systems to achieve value for money,
- Be able to conduct financial risk analysis and management, and institute appropriate internal control mechanisms,
- Be able to constructively analyze, interpret and present macroeconomics and financial information for decision making,
- Acquire research and financial data analysis skills for evidence-based decision making and to pursue lifelong learning, and
- Acquire 21st century leadership skills for problem solving and public service delivery.
Program Delivery, Durations and Modules
The FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS program delivery to adopt a mixed mode of blended learning approach whereby there will be a pre-on-site, on-site (face to face) and post on-site learning. The pre-on-site and post on-site will be guided, and work integrated experiential learning. The on-site learning will be mainly through workshops facilitated through case based, problem or challenge-based learning whereby participants will have opportunity to acquire job relevant competencies and skills. The overall program structure and the three stages of delivery are presented below.
| Stage 1: Pre-on-site learning through virtual or online blended mode. This will be a guided learning for participants to prepare for the stage 2 on-site face to face workshops. Stage 1 pre-on-site learning will be for a duration of 10 days. Participants will engage in online learning and complete required assessments before the stage 2 on-site face to face workshop. |
| Stage 2: On-site learning will consist of face-to-face seminars and rigorous workshops conducted in the institute facilitated by RIM faculty and relevant resource persons (RP) from the respective agencies. The stage 2 learnings will prepare participants for the stage 3 post on-site work-integrated learning at their respective agencies. There will be three components to the stage 2 on-site face to face learning with 11 modules for the duration of 31 days. The details on the modules are presented in the next section. The stage 2 learning activities will also comprise of various assessments for each module. |
| Stage 3: Post on-site learning is focused on work integrated learning under the guidance of their immediate supervisor and a faculty mentor from RIM. While at their agencies, post on-site, participants will have the chance to implement and enhance their learnings from stage 1 and 2 in the form of application of their ‘Return to Work Plan’ (RWP). During the stage 2 on-site learning, participants in consultation with their respective faculty mentors will develop a draft RWP. The daft RWP needs to be endorsed by their immediate supervisor at their work agencies within the two weeks of the start of the post on-site learning. Agency supervisor endorsed RWP needs to be submitted to the faculty mentor.
For the post on-site learning to be successful, the RIM faculty mentors and the workplace or agency immediate supervisors, need to be engaged throughout and to provide necessary coaching and mentoring. The stage 3 post on-site learning will be assessed and form part of the overall assessment of the program. The overall duration of the post on-site learning will be for a duration of 3 to 3 and half months. |
The structure of the program and module for the stage 2 on-site face to face learning is given below.
| Component | Competency Target | Modules | Duration (in days) |
| Comp. I | Common competencies for FIT Phase II FS and AS
|
FIT2003 Macroeconomics for Governance | 2 |
|
FIT2007 21st Century Leadership |
1 |
||
|
FIT2009 Applied Research Methodology |
5 |
||
|
Comp. II |
FIT Phase II FS Job Family competencies |
FIT3001 Public Financial Management
|
3.5
|
| FIT3002 Public Sector Financial Accountability and Service Delivery
|
2
|
||
| FIT3003 Government Accounting & Budgeting Theory & Practices | 2
|
||
|
FIT3004 Government Accounting & Budgeting Systems (e-DATS, e-PEMS & MYRB) |
3
|
||
|
FIT3005 Bhutanese Taxation & Revenue Accounting |
3.5
|
||
|
FIT3006 Public Procurement & Contract Management
|
3
|
||
| FIT3007 Financial Data Analysis and Decision Making | 2
|
||
| FIT3008 Financial Risk Management & Internal Control | 2 | ||
| Comp. III | Plenary session to prepare RWP & post on-site work integrated learning | 1 | |
Assessments
The assessment for the program will comprise of two components, i. Module based assessments and ii. RWP assessment.
Module Assessment – for each module, there will be assessment to assess and support participant learning. This assessment will cover learnings from both pre-on-site and on-site face to face learnings. This assessment to be completed as part of the module delivery and within the time allocated for each module. The assessment methods will include presentations, case discussions, workshop participations, quizzes, reflective journals, project-based assignments, written reports, and other forms of testing relevant to the module.
RWP Assessment – this assessment is to be completed while on the work-integrated learning. The RWP based assessment will comprise of i. Preparation of RWP proposal, ii. Maintain a Reflection Learning Journal, and iii. RWP Appraisal Presentation. The presentation of the RWP Appraisal will be virtual in presence of both RIM faculty facilitators (or mentors) and the supervisor.
For both assessment components, participants are required to achieve minimum competency level of ‘Meeting (Me)’ be eligible for the program completion and certification. The learning assessments will be categorized as follows:
- Exceeding (Ex): 86% – 100%
- Advancing (Ad): 76% – 85%
- Meeting (Me): 60% – 75%
- Exceeding (Ex): The learner has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the contents and can apply this at any given time because of the achievement of high level of competencies of processes and skills.
- Advancing (Ad): The learner has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the contents and a relatively high level of competency in the processes and skills and is able to apply these in most situations.
- Meeting (Me): The learner processes foundational and functional knowledge and understanding of the main areas of contents with adequate level of competency in the processes and skills.
Attendance Requirement
Participants are required to maintain 100% attendance in each module to be eligible for the certificate, however, 90% will be considered in case of medical and other genuine personal problems such as loss of immediate family members, etc.
Certificate of Eligibility
To be eligible for the FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS certificate, the participants are required to:
- complete all three stages of learning and achieve minimum competency level of Meeting (Me) in assessments for each module and RWP,
- obtain at least 90% attendance in the program,
- provide program feedback, and
- no adverse record during the conduct of the program.
The offering Department
The FIT Phase II: CBPDP-FS is offered by the Department of Finance & Business. For further information on the program, please contact the program convenor. The program convenor details are provided below.
Mr. Kencho
Phone: +975 2 351014/ 351013 ext. 207
Email: kencho@rim.edu.bt