Fundamentals of Project Management

This Master Class has been developed to provide participants with an introduction to the fundamentals of project management, and how these are implemented in a research organisation. The program takes an approach of describing project management activities for research management professionals and also provides information specific for the management of research projects and programs.

There are a number of research management roles within organisations who may be required to participate in, or manage projects. Some organisations will have dedicated project management staff, or in some cases a Project Management Office (PMO), however many organisations rely on other staff to design and deliver projects. These projects can range from the implementation of new systems (e.g. grants systems, publications or analytics systems), new processes (e.g. impact reporting, internal grant processes, costing & pricing policies and workflows), or the management of research projects or programs. While many research management professionals  have relevant qualifications specific to their role, it has previously been challenging to find project management training which takes into consideration the specific requirements of the research environment. Over the past few years, the research management profession has been increasingly seeking project management training opportunities which are specific to the sector and this master class is the first step in addressing these training needs. 


Who should attend?

The Master Class is not intended to be a formal project management qualification, rather it provides an introduction to project management for staff who are either involved in administrative projects or who are required to manage projects within their role.

The Master Class is primarily designed for those individuals engaged in administrative project management activities, however there are some parts of this program which are specific to the management of research projects or programs. This could extend to individuals who work in, but not limited to:

  • Research Finance;
  • Research Development;
  • Research Grants;
  • Policy and Governance;
  • Research Contracts;
  • Research Data;
  • Higher Degrees / Scholarships;
  • Innovation and Commercialisation;
  • Ethics and Governance;
  • Library;
  • Impact and Engagement; or
  • Research project or program management.

The Master Class is also applicable for individuals with the following levels of expertise in project management:

  • Current research managers/ administrators who would like a refresh or update on project management;
  • New managers / administrators who may have a project management background from another role but want to understand PM in the HE research / academic / (other) institutional environment;
  • New research managers / administrators who may have limited formal project; and management background and want an overview before committing to formal training; and
  • Those currently working in a project team who may want to develop further project management knowledge