I've only got myself to blame.  A few months ago, I had a wee rant about the sign-up rate to the IPA Excellence Diploma.  You can go and read it here, if you like.  

Basically I got all uppity about how not enough people were doing the course...

...which, again for the record, is the best course you'll ever do in advertising/PR/digital/media/whateveragenciesarecallednowadays... seriously, it stretches your head in ways that nothing else will.  Not learning 'on the job'.  Not going on a one day course.  Especially not timesheets.  Not even trying to invent sound arguments why you should be let off doing timesheets...

...anyway, I got ranty.  A bit like I just did again.

Which is probably why Nick Kendall, the leader of the course, suggested that perhaps if I think it's so important I should help do something about it; spread the word about the Excellence Diploma a little more, help potential candidates, and their bosses and agencies, learn more about what's involved, and how the diploma supercharges you to the 'nth degree from where you are now.

He had a good point.  Which is why this blog's here.

Over the next few months (leading up to the intake for the class of 2011/2012 in the spring) we'll be asking a wide range of the Excellence Diploma alumni, their mentors, and the course tutors, to share some of their highs (and lows) of the Excellence Diploma experience.

We'll also post some links to some brilliant past coursework, and maybe ask people to revisit their work and see if they still believe it holds true

Finally, of course, we'll flag up important dates for applying for the course.

So there you go.  The IPA Excellence Diploma; think about it...