Capital University and Columbus College of Art & Design Partner to Launch Professional Studies and Corporate Training Program

Capital University and Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) are proud to announce the launch of the Institute for Creative Leadership at Work, a professional development collaboration between the two institutions to cultivate creative leaders for organizational transformation in central Ohio.

The Institute will provide custom training and non-degree certificate programs for businesses and individuals. The programs will integrate CCAD’s core disciplines of design and creativity with Capital’s expertise in law, finance, business strategy, and leadership, and will be taught by faculty and staff from both institutions. The programs are highly customizable to address industry demands along with current and future workforce needs.

“Capital and CCAD recognize the challenges facing corporations and organizations in addressing the rapidly changing business landscape, and we created this unique resource as a response,” said Mary Beth Bertrand, director of the Institute for Creative Leadership at Work. “Our institutions have a combined 300+ year history in Columbus. We understand the needs of our region and look forward to creating highly customized training and professional development opportunities to meet those needs.”

The Institute will offer both corporate training and individual workshops that address topics including leadership development, design thinking, creative problem solving, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Workshops currently available for November and December enrollment address leveraging generative AI in the workplace and using design thinking to tackle business challenges.

“Our partnership with CCAD offers an innovative way for businesses in our community to advance the skills of their teams,” said David L. Kaufman, president of Capital University. “With new ventures in emerging industries, transportation, and financial technology coming to the central Ohio region, the Institute for Creative Leadership at Work is uniquely positioned to support the changing needs of these businesses and affect the future of Columbus.”

Capital University’s recent approval as a Society for Human Resource Management SHRM Recertification provider will allow the Institute to award SHRM Professional Development Credits for the recertification of HR professionals through knowledge and competency programs.

Future programs will be available both onsite and online, with options for individual learning or group sessions at business partner locations or either the Capital or CCAD campus. Depending on the specific training requested, courses could include design strategy, design research, and creative problem solving led by experts from CCAD, along with instruction in communication, data analytics, business law, and finance from Capital’s faculty at its Law School, MBA program, and liberal arts programs.

“We believe every company needs to be a creative company; skills like design thinking and creative problem solving are critical to the success of any modern business or organization,” said Dr. Melanie Corn, president of CCAD. “Integrating our institutional creative expertise with Capital’s business acumen in this partnership brings one-of-a-kind professional development opportunities to our community, and we are proud to provide meaningful education beyond our central Ohio campuses.”

For more information, including details on how to register for an upcoming workshop, find available coursework, or inquire about custom training for businesses, visit creativeleadershipatwork.com.