Bersin & Associates Unveils Learning Leaders Program; Research-Driven Program Designed to Recognize Innovation and Excellence in Critical Areas of Corporate Training.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Bersin & Associates, the only research and advisory firm solely focused on enterprise learning and its organizational impact, today announced the Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program, the learning industry's first research-driven recognition program. Based on detailed criteria compiled over years of research, Bersin & Associates will recognize 15 organizations which have developed and implemented unique and innovative approaches to corporate learning and development resulting in significant business improvement.

Winning organizations and their learning programs will be highlighted in a feature story appearing in the March 2007 issue of eLearning! magazine, the media partner for the Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders Program. Winners will also be featured in a follow-on report and public web seminars by Bersin & Associates incorporating the best practices, findings, and observations collected during the evaluation process. The Learning Leaders Report will serve as a comprehensive resource of best-practices in program management, initiative management, management, leadership, and technology adoption for organizations seeking to benchmark and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their learning and development organization.

"Our research-based approach distinguishes the Learning Leaders Program from other industry recognition programs," said Josh Bersin, president of Bersin & Associates. "The benchmark criteria that will be used to evaluate submissions is based on years of quantitative and qualitative research and endorsed by our panel of senior industry advisors. Our research database, by far the largest and most comprehensive source of information related to enterprise learning, gives us the ability to rigorously assess organizations against peer performance in more than 21 different dimensions."

The program will recognize excellence in the following five categories: (1) operational learning programs, (2) management and leadership development programs, (3) organizational learning initiatives, (4) implementation and application of learning technology, and (5) leadership and management of the learning and development function. Because budgets, resources, and organizational issues are dependent upon the size and reach of an enterprise, each category will have three divisions based on organization size: global enterprise, enterprise, and mid-market. A leader will be selected in each division, resulting in 15 total learning leaders.

"We're excited to be the publishing partner for the Learning Leaders Program," said Catherine Upton, publisher of eLearning!. "The research-based methodology underlying the program makes this much more than a popularity contest. We're confident our readers will find fresh insights and useful analysis they can directly apply to their own organizations."

"Bersin & Associates' research on high-impact learning is spot-on for identifying learning success factors. I see the Learning Leaders Program as a way to bring this research to life and highlight real-life examples from which the entire learning community can benefit," said Rob Lauber, vice president of global development and YUM! University for YUM! Brands and a member of the program's advisory board.

Other advisory board members include: Frank Anderson, President, Defense Acquisition University; Jim Bauman, Director of NCR University Operations; Bob Dean, CLO, Grant Thornton, LLP; Vince Eugenio, CLO, Randstad North America L.P.; Cory Garlough, Vice President of Learning, Scotiabank; and Jim Rush, CLO, Marsh Inc.

Bersin & Associates will issue a call for applications in May 2006, with a deadline for applications in August 2006 (exact date to be announced). Winners will be notified in January 2007. To be placed on the call for applications list, please send an e-mail to [e-mail].

About Bersin & Associates

Bersin & Associates is the only research and advisory firm solely focused on corporate-learning with a comprehensive research program targeted to the needs of learning professionals and executives. In 2001, Bersin & Associates introduced the What Works series, primary research that offers learning practitioners factual and practical insight that can improve program effectiveness and results, reduce costs, and avoid time-consuming and costly mistakes. The company specializes in six research areas: planning and strategy, blended learning, content development, learning management systems and infrastructure, measurement and analytics, and talent management. The company develops industry-leading research studies and provides advisory services to corporations and e-learning vendors. For more information, go to www.bersin.com or call [phone].

About Elearning!

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