Reciprocal Designation

The Directors College – and the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés (CAS) of Université Laval have a reciprocal agreement, whereby their respective designations -Chartered Director C.Dir. and Administrateur de sociétés certifié (ASC) are recognized as equivalent.

This agreement is the product of a rigorous process of due diligence by both Colleges to ensure the fundamental structure, content and exam processes of the two respective programs are equivalent.

Each organization confers its own designation upon its graduates, and under the terms of the reciprocal agreement, graduates of one program can obtain the designation of the other program, upon application and without further study or examination.

Founded by The Conference Board of Canada and the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, The Directors College - Chartered Director program - was the first university-accredited director education program in the country.

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Quebec’s financial sector regulator l’Autorité des marchés financiers, and the Government of Quebec’s ministère du Conseil exécutif, joined forces with Université Laval to create the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés which offers the premier and only university certified, private and public sector corporate governance program in Québec.

Request for Reciprocal Designation
Formulaire de demande de désignation conjointe

For more information please contact info@thedirectorscollege.com or annick.leveille@cas.ulaval.ca

* “The Directors College”, “Chartered Director”, “C. Dir.” and “The Board Simulation” are official marks of McMaster University.

** “Collège des administrateurs de sociétés”, “Administrateur de sociétés certifié” and “ASC” are registered trademarks of Université Laval

What our graduates say?

“I found the Chartered Director Program to be an excellent forum to understand how strong governance complements effective management. The ability to create and execute an effective strategy is significantly enhanced by a robust process inclusive of board engagement where the right questions are asked and expected outcomes are identified. I truly enjoyed the setting which fostered a strong level of interaction that was supported by quality presentations and material. As CEO of a Shared Service Organization set to deliver benefits to its members, I see the advantage of having a number of our board members participating in this program.”

Tony Di Emanuele, MBA, C.Dir., President and CEO, Mohawk Shared Services

“I found the Directors College to be an excellent survey of the important matters of which a director must be aware in today’s corporate environment. The quality of the presentation and materials was first-rate and the perspectives gained were invaluable. I would highly recommend the Directors College.”

The Honourable John Manley, P.C., O.C., C.Dir., Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister

“The changes that impact corporate governance are establishing a pattern of increased accountability for the delivery of long-term value to customers, shareholders, employees and society. Proper corporate governance is now being defined to include knowledge of critical elements such as risk management and the measurement of strategic performance. At the end of the day, each board will be judged on its ability to effectively deliver value, rather than on its structure. The Directors College innovative program fills a unique and important gap in providing knowledge and insight as to how this expectation can be met. CMA Canada is pleased to be a sponsor of this timely initiative.”

Steve Vieweg, C.Dir., Director, Executive Development, I.H. Asper School of Business – University of Manitoba

“As an organization focused on educating corporate secretaries, the ICSA believes in furthering the potential of board members to better contribute to building effective governance structures. Given the key role of directors and corporate secretaries in applying proper boardroom practices, corporations need to ensure that these individuals meet a professional standard. The Directors College curriculum covers all the formal regulatory issues for directors and also addresses the informal skills of building effective and appropriate relationships with senior management. We see significant benefits to this program and ICSA is pleased to endorse it.”

Lynn Beauregard, Executive Director, Chartered Secretaries Canada

The Directors College has developed a director education program which goes well beyond the fundamentals to address the structures and the behavioural components of principle-based governance. I am proud to be associated with the Directors College and I am honoured to lend my name to the College’s graduate award.

Gilbert Bennett, Director and Recently-Retired Chairman of the Board, Canadian Tire Corporation Limited

“Our strategy is to raise the horizons and potential of directors by deepening and enriching their knowledge and application of advanced skills. Increasing the effectiveness of existing directors and broadening the pool of potential directors will contribute to the professionalism of boards across Canada.”

David Beatty, Managing Director, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance