The Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) said today ithas made available a new library of 50 online courses to helpenhance the business management and leadership skills of riskmanagers.

The collection was developed by Winchester Center for ManagementDevelopment, a subsidiary of MindEdge, Inc., an information andlearning company, RIMS said.

“A successful career as a risk management professional requirescontinuous learning in many disciplines to enhance both technicaland soft skills,” Janet Barnes, member of RIMS board of directorsand risk manager for Snohomish County Public Utility District No.1said in a statement.

Ms. Barnes said the online programs offer professionals an easy,convenient and affordable way “to further develop the criticalskills they need to become successful managers and leaders withintheir organizations.”

The online program consists of a collection of courses incommunications, finance, human resources, innovation and creativethinking, leadership, management, marketing, project management,and strategy, RIMS said.

Sessions include interactive exercises, case studies,assessments and focused readings. Completion of select coursesearns participants a half continuing education unit for those whorequire annual or bi-annual continuing education hours and aprogram certification.

Risk practitioners can enroll in the courses at any time fromtheir home or office. The fee range for many of the courses is $79to $95 and they can be completed in three to six hours, RIMSsaid.

In addition to these online courses, in 2008 RIMS has organized57 courses and workshops that are estimated to attract more than700 risk professionals. This fall, more than half of RIMSprofessional development workshops will offer credit towards theRIMS Fellow designation, a certification program for riskprofessionals.

To date, there are more than 95 RIMS Fellow designees and 209candidates enrolled in the program.

More information and a complete list of RIMS courses are onlineat www.RIMS.org/onlinecourses.