UALR’s Institute for Economic Advancement is now offering some online courses in partnership with the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.

Training at the Economic Development Institute can lead to accredited economic development certification by the International Economic Development Council. The aggressive in-person program includes three, one-week sessions in core areas covering the building blocks of economic development ─ business retention and expansion, real estate, and finance ─ and various elective topics. In-person training sessions are conducted in Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, and Mexico.

Dr. Ron Swager, senior research specialist, and Mark Goodman, director, both Certified Economic Developers at UALR’s Center for Economic Development Education, pursued a partnership with the Economic Development Institute to deliver an online component of the program for convenience and as a cost-saving measure to Arkansas economic developers as well as those from other states. EDI-Online participants may work at their own computer and at their own pace over a period of eight weeks, and they will save costs of travel, lodging, meals, and time.

The first course, Strategic Planning for Economic Development, was launched July 11 and was taught by LaDene Bowen, University of Northern Iowa, who will begin a two-year term as dean of EDI next year.

Two remaining EDI-Online courses this year are:

Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development: September 12

This course, taught by Maureen Collins-Williams with the University of Northern Iowa, will provide in-depth instruction on technical assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses, business incubators, technology transfer, business plan development, and start-up and small business financing.

Economic Development Marketing:  November 14

This course will be taught by Swager and examine the process of strategic comprehensive marketing to include market research techniques such as market segmentation, targeting, and cluster analysis; methods for preparing a marketing plan; a study of the process by which site selection decision makers identify locations for businesses; and techniques of internal and external advertising, promotion, prospect hosting in economic development; and performance metrics.

Another course, Business Retention and Expansion, is being planned for winter 2012, and will be taught by Goodman.

Economic developers who have previously taken a course through UALR’s Institute for Economic Advancement will receive a $100 discount when signing up for an EDI-Online course.

For more information, contact Swager at 501-569-8519 or rjswager@ualr.edu, or visit edi.ou.edu/online.