UNITS

The Planning Practice Course comprises five units, each concerning one area of core competence for practising planners. The units are:

• PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, NEGOTIATION AND MEDIATION
• ECONOMICS OF DEVELOPMENT
• PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
• LEGISLATION AND GOVERNANCE

Individuals wanting to complete the Course (including Corporate members of PIA wishing to seek certification as CPPs) must satisfactorily complete at least four of the units, including all assessment.

An overview of each unit, including the objectives or 'learning outcomes' area as follow:

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

On completion of the Project Management unit, participants will have:

• gained a basic understanding of the principal components of project management processes;
• learned about the applicability of a range of relevant project management techniques;
• used a range of project planning tools and
• reflected on how the tools and principles presented in the course apply to their workplace.

Presenter: Tony Holmes

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, NEGOTIATION AND MEDIATION

On completion of the Effective Communication, Negotiation and Mediation unit, participants will have:

• gained an understanding of, and the ability to analyse the causes of a conflict and appropriate ways of addressing these;
• reflected on personal styles (including their own) of responding to conflict;
• learned about various approaches to resolving conflicts with a focus on principled negotiation and mediation;
• explored and practised skills required for effective negotiation and mediation and
• reflected on the practical application of conflict resolution processes in their workplace.

Presenter: Ken Salisbury

ECONOMICS OF DEVELOPMENT

On completion of the Economics of Development unit, participants will have gained an understanding of:

• economic trends and factors which shape the spatial economics and development of local economies;
• the way local economies function and key factors supporting their development;
• various economic/spatial analysis/decision-making tools used to provide information to prepare development plans;
the economics of land and property development, feasibility studies for development, and good practices which can be applied economic and spatial planning to support sustainable development.

Presenter: Brian Roberts

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

On completion of the Professional Ethics unit, participants will have gained an understanding of:

• principles of ethical behaviour in professional practice, in both government and private sectors, including ethical foundations of planning, ethical dimensions of management, decision-making and contemporary organisational governance;
• ethical perspectives including developing an ethical organisational culture, corporate social responsibility, conflicts of interest and
• the ethical underpinning of PIA’s Code of Professional Conduct.

Presenter: Andrea Cook

LEGISLATION AND GOVERNANCE

On completion of the Legislation and Governance unit, participants will have:

• examined current best practice in planning skills, process and governance that affect planning practice;
• explored a range of contemporary tolls and methodologies available to the planner, which may enhance planning process and practice;
• broadly identified recent key changes in planning law that may impact on planning practice and administrative procedures;
• augmented their knowledge of working in courts and tribunals, and of the role of statutory interpretation and judicial decisions on planning practice and
• reflected on the practical application of the tools and principles presented in this unit to their workplace.

Presenter: Graeme Ballard