The Institute for Excellence in Global Theological Education
The IE is a three-year project designed to strengthen the leadership skills of presidents, principals, deans and senior leaders of evangelical seminaries, Christian universities, and leadership development programs in the non-western world. It does so by helping these leaders:
§ Build organizational capacity for biblical, contextual and relevant leadership training in their institutions;
§ Understand non-formal and distance-based education for ministry, and encourage integration of such programs into their residential or campus-based programs;
§ Link themselves with peers in like-minded organizations in their region for mutual support and encouragement.
This effort arises from the realities that non-western seminary leaders face. They come to their duties as proven Christian leaders, but without adequate experience in the leadership of ministry training organizations. The Institutes help build competence in areas of leadership specific to the new roles they find themselves in. Over the course of three years, these leaders are presented with seminars and workshops in leadership development, strategic planning, models of governance and administration, developing financial self-sufficiency and accountability, academic planning and curriculum development, and organizational renewal. In this manner, reSource demonstrates its commitment to partnership by providing resources and tools to our partner schools and allowing them to build their programs according to the needs of their regions.
During the first trial, Institutes were held in 5 regions. Over 300 representatives from 122 different schools and programs met together in Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and post-communist Europe. Those meetings were a tremendous success, and the feedback continues to come in from them. Each Institute consisted of three meetings by the representatives from each school. Each meeting cost approximately $2,000 per conference attendee for one week of intensive leadership, management, and administration training.
Gordon Smith, the president of reSource participates in the Institutes for Excellence whenever he is able.
2009 schedule - Focus: Spiritual Formation and Theological Education:
Feb 8 - 12 ..........China
Mar 3 - 6 ............Sofia, Bulgaria - BETI
Mar 30 - Apr 3 ... Lusaka, Zambia - JMTC
Apr 20 - 24 .........Buenos Aires, Argentina - FIET
May 11 - 15 ........Kowloon, Hong Kong, and Taipei, Taiwan - CGSTHK & CES
May 25 - 29 ........Puebla, Mexico - PBS
Aug 10 - 14 ........Kampala, Uganda
Aug 31 - Sep 4 ...Abidjan, Ivory Coast - FATEAC
Sep 21 - 25 ........Singapore
Oct 27 - 30 .........Beirut, Lebanon - ABTS
Nov 9 - 13 ...........Minsk, Belarus