CMU Heinz College and Software Engineering Institute Launch Chief Risk Officer Certificate

PITTSBURGH, April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and the CERT Division of the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University today announced the launch of their Chief Risk Officer (CRO) Certificate program, which aims to provide corporate risk officers with the latest skills and practices in risk management. The first cohort will begin the program on September 20.

"Organizations are constantly faced with hurdles that inhibit their ability to successfully implement a fully-integrated risk management program," said Summer Fowler, technical director, risk and resilience, SEI CERT Division. "Due to increased risks to the business, whether market, regulatory, financial, and now cyber-risk, the need for a dedicated executive, or chief risk officer, to oversee this critical business function is more important than ever."

Major topics covered in the program are strategic risk management, the role of the CRO, risk tools, cyber-risk oversight, business execution, and risk as a competitive advantage.

This six-month program consists of nine modules: four at the CMU campus in Pittsburgh and five via synchronous distance technology. As part of this certificate program, risk officers will develop or enhance a risk plan for an organization. This plan is designed for practitioners to apply several of the methods, tools, and techniques taught during the program. The focus of this new program is on what CROs need to know to thrive in their jobs, including how to interact with executive leadership and how to analyze and dispose of enterprise risks.

"A fundamental tenet of the CRO Certificate program, like many programs in the Heinz College, is that participants should be able to use their experience and learning in a practical fashion while attending the program," said Andy Wasser, associate dean. "The program's practicum is a mechanism for participants to conceive, develop, and deliver a solution to a relevant enterprise risk management issue."

CRO Certificate program leaders will host a webinar on "The Evolving Role of the Chief Risk Officer" and provide additional information about the certificate at the end of the session. The webinar is scheduled to take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. ET on May 18. To register for the webinar visit https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/139/20814.

Registration for the CRO Certificate program is now open. For more information or to register, visit http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/school-of-information-systems-and-management/cio-institute/chief-risk-officer-certificate-program/index.aspx or contact [email protected].

About the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy
The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy is home to two internationally recognized graduate-level institutions at Carnegie Mellon University: the School of Information Systems & Management and the School of Public Policy & Management. The Heinz College educational process integrates policy analysis, management, and information technology. Coursework emphasizes applied and interdisciplinary fields of empirical methods and statistics, data analytics, economics, information systems and technology, operations research, and organizational behavior. In addition to full-time, on-campus programs in Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Adelaide, the Heinz College offers graduate-level programs to non-traditional students through part-time, on-campus and distance programs, customized programs, and executive education programs for senior managers. For more information, visit http://www.heinz.cmu.edu to learn about the Heinz College and http://www.cmu.edu/risk-reg-center/ to learn about its Risk and Regulatory Services Innovation Center.

About the Software Engineering Institute and CERT Division
The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. The SEI works with organizations to make measurable improvements in their software engineering capabilities by providing technical leadership to advance the practice of software engineering. For more information, visit the SEI website at www.sei.cmu.edu. The CERT Division of the SEI is the world's leading trusted authority dedicated to improving the security and resilience of computer systems and networks and a national asset in the field of cybersecurity. For more information, visit www.cert.org.

SOURCE Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute