IMA Value Proposition for Organisations
This document explains the benefits of an organisation becoming a Corporate Affiliate, and the value of supporting their employees’ membership and chartered status.
Introduction
IMA Corporate Affiliates are public and private sector organisations that wish to demonstrate their commitment to mathematics. They value their mathematically trained staff and value commitment to continuing professional development (CPD). These organisations also wish to provide and demonstrate support for mathematics as a discipline which is essential to their own organisation and to that of society and the nation. Many employers support their mathematically trained staff by paying for their membership and/or chartership fees.
The IMA is a Learned and Professional Society which
- is a charitable, not for profit organisation governed by Royal Charter;
- makes no charge for Corporate Affiliation;
- is dedicated to promoting mathematics for the benefit of society, and hence the welfare of business and technology for employers, employees and clients;
- supports the underpinning mathematics needed to sustain and expand the knowledge economy, nationally and internationally;
- regulates and awards the Chartered Mathematician (CMath) designation, and awards the Chartered Scientist (CSci) designation;
- manages the Institute’s and mathscareers websites offering support, resources and advice to mathematicians and anyone interested in mathematics as a career. It also provides links between potential employees and employers.
The benefits of Corporate Affiliation, employee membership and employee chartership are highlighted below.
Benefit of Corporate Affiliation
Professional development of individual members
The IMA
- offers a graduate training scheme to those organisations that require it, or will accredit an existing scheme. The IMA also has an initial professional development (IPD) scheme. Both can be tailored to the needs of the organisation
- enables the process for obtaining CMath to be woven into the training framework, to the mutual benefit of the organisation and the individual
- encourages and maintains records of the CPD of holders of the CMath designation; these members undertake to engage in a programme of appropriate CPD. Professional development is of benefit to both the employee and the employer
- carries out regular audits on the CPD of holders of CSci designation
Employers’ Forum
Employers’ fora are a newly developed opportunity for employers to share best practice on topics such as recruitment, development and retention of mathematicians. These meetings also provide networking opportunities between employers, universities and the IMA.
Reduced conference fees
The IMA runs about ten conferences a year. Many of these have an industrial theme, and are often multidisciplinary. They offer generic training for mathematicians and the opportunity for industrial, academic and commercial organisations to network. IMA members may attend IMA conferences at the considerably discounted Member rate.
Sponsorship opportunities
Organisations seeking commercial exposure while also wishing to emphasise their support of mathematics and the IMA which promotes it may take advantage of numerous opportunities for sponsorship. These include the mathscareers website, IMA conferences and the Employers’ Fora.
Graduate recruitment
Corporate Affiliates may advertise in Mathematics Today. Copies of this are sent to universities and some libraries, as well as every fee paying member.
Part of the IMA website is for students who register on-line as e-students, and all fee paying members also have access.
Corporate Affiliates may also advertise on the e-Student part of the IMA website.
Use of the IMA logo
Corporate Affiliates may demonstrate their commitment to their support of mathematics and the IMA by featuring the logo on their website:
Social networking
The IMA maintains a group on LinkedIn, the social networking site aimed at professionals. The Early Career Mathematicians also have a Facebook page and the IMA maintains a presence on Twitter.
Public understanding of STEM
The IMA
- led for mathematics in the recently concluded National Higher Education (HE) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme; Strands of this programme included widening participation, curriculum development and employer engagement. The IMA will continue to support the permanent legacy of this programme
- has produced a highly successful Mathematics Matters series of mathematics research case studies; 33 such papers are now available to explain clearly to policymakers and the public the value of mathematics research
- has produced the Large Mathematics Outreach Kit, which is being used by about 15 universities to stimulate interest in STEM careers
- organises the mathematics zone for the Big Bang Science and Engineering fair which is the biggest event of its kind in the national calendar; the purpose of the event is to stimulate interest in STEM careers
- manages the mathscareers website which is also intended to develop interest in STEM careers in students from 11 to 19; This is the most successful website of its kind in the UK
- attends UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) events to promote careers in mathematics to prospective undergraduates; in all, IMA promotional activities were exposed to over 100,000 young people in the last year
Mathematics education policy
The IMA seeks to influence education policy by:
- publicly commenting on aspects of government policy relating to mathematics education; senior members have contributed to major papers on the topic
- regularly engaging with the media on education issues via its nominated members and the Mathematics Promotion Unit
- maintaining two permanent committees concerned with education; these are the Schools and Further Education committee and the Higher Education Services Area Committee
- accrediting mathematics degree programmes which are suitable for the award of CMath designation and subsequently CSci
- supporting the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME), the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) and the Further Maths Support Network, and engages with the Heads of Departments of Mathematical Sciences
Benefit of Employer Paying Employees’ Professional Fees
An organisation benefits when it is staffed by professionally qualified personnel. An employer may wish to encourage employee professionalism by offering to pay their membership / chartership fees. The benefits, outlined below, will more than compensate for the cost of the fees, should the employer choose to pay them.
Enhanced professional development
- IMA events and conferences provide networking opportunities at the forefront of mathematics, include novel research and developing technologies, and focus on the latest hot topics in research
- every member receives a free bimonthly copy of Mathematics Today
- members have discounted access to IMA published journals
- members have access to the IPD and competencies frameworks developed by the IMA
- the IMA provides a framework for encouraging, reflecting on, documenting and planning CPD; for CSci this is audited by the IMA providing more assurance that employees participate in CPD, enhance their competencies, and remain up to date in their field
Better individual performance leads to better company performance
- awareness of novel research, technological innovation and emerging topics of interest can feed back into the company’s research and product development
- increased networking opportunities and access to contacts
- soft/key skills, such as problem solving and project planning, developed through IPD competencies are applied successfully in the workplace
- quality assurance competencies encourage constant evaluation and improvement of company products
- professional values reflect back into the workplace, encouraging others and developing juniors; this is sometimes formalised through mentoring
Enhanced reputation
- demonstrable qualifications and status of employees enhance a company’s reputation, support contract bids, and increase public confidence
- demonstrates that members abide by the IMA’s professional code of conduct
Financial aspects
- payment of membership and chartership fees represents only a small proportion of the employee’s cost
- reduced conference rates for IMA members
- free branch meetings for IMA members
- discounted access to IMA published journals
- use of IMA templates and frameworks for IPD, graduate schemes and CPD may reduce in-house administration costs
- improved employee performance leads to improved corporate financial performance including, where applicable, increased profit.