August 2007 Volume #3 Issue 8 

Plan to Attend the GAC Academic Forum in Atlanta

On Saturday, 6 October 2007, from 8:0015:00, the GAC has planned another informative and dynamic Academic Forum to be held in conjunction with the PMI Global Congress 2007North America, in Atlanta, GA, United States. Highlights of the program include:

  • A special presentation by PMI Fellows and Founders, James A. Snyder and J. Gordon Davis. They will be speaking on the roots of PMI and its relationship with academia;

  • Another key session will address the topic of Project Management in Higher EducationServing the Needs of Industry.  Views from both academia and business will be presented.  Dean Jay A. Halfond, Metropolitan College and Extended Education, Boston University, one of his corporate partners and several other presenters from academia and industry are scheduled  This portion of the day will include a panel and open discussion.

  • An overview of the PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC) Program/Process/Open Discussion will close the day. This session includes a panel of representatives from GAC accredited programs

For registration information, as well as more information about the Forum, please download the GAC Academic Forum Agenda/Registration Form.



GAC Accreditation Conferred on Fachhochschule Landshut University of the Applied Sciences Project Management Degree Program

The Global Accreditation Center (GAC) for Project Management accredited the Master of Business Administration Systems Management degree program at the Fachhochschule Landshut University of the Applied Sciences in Landshut, Germany, on 21 August 2007.

The MBA-Systems Management degree is a program for business professionals who have already achieved a university degree and in addition have at least two years of professional practice in the field of project work or systems design. The main goal of the program is the training of competencies in project management and systems management. For more information regarding this program, please visit the universitys website. Congratulations must be extended to the university for its dedication and diligence during this rigorous process.



Saint Marys University of Minnesotas PM Degree Program Receives GAC Accreditation

The Master of Science in Project Management at the School of Business and Technology, Saint Marys University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA received GAC accreditation on 21 August 2007.

The Master of Science in Project Management is designed for individuals seeking advanced education for leading complex projects in a variety of work settings. Foundation courses provide the knowledge of business practices. The process of managing a project, including definition, implementation and evaluation, is presented along with specialized skills of quality control, risk management, and procurement and contracting. Communication techniques are emphasized both with individuals and teams. Options are available to incorporate an international perspective. For more information regarding this program, please visit the universitys website. Congratulations to all involved with the program for this significant academic achievement.


GAC Early Registration Discount for PMI Global Congress 2007North America

Lake View of Atlanta Skyline

Mark your calendars! PMI Global Congress 2007North America will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 69 October. Representatives from GAC-accredited schools are invited to attend the congress at the cost-saving PMI member rate of $875.00 (US) if you register by 7 September, and $1,095.00 (US) if you register after that date or on-site at the conference. To activate your GAC registration discount, simply use PMI's secure online registration form and fill-in promotional code CATL708 in the space indicated.

For details on all aspects of the congress and convenient registration options, please see PMI Global Congress 2007North America registration information.



ISO/PC 236 Standard for Project Management Initiative

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has approved the initiation of a new project management standard. It is important for all project management practitioners to be aware of this initiative and to learn how they can participate as subject matter experts (SME) in its development.

Approved by the Technical Management Board of ISO in November 2006, the project will begin later this year as a Project Committee under the title ISO/PC 236, Project Management. The first plenary meeting of the Project Committee will be scheduled for the end of October 2007.

Currently fifteen countries have agreed to participate in the development of the standard in addition to one observer country. Each of these countries has already begun to establish a committee within its national standards body to work on the development of the standard. If you are interested in participating in this opportunity through your countrys process, please contact the national standards organization for your country. View a listing of contact information for the participating countries and their respective standards organization.  

It is important to emphasize that this is not a PMI Standard and anyone choosing to participate would be representing his or her country and not PMI.

Due to the significance of this ISO standard to the global project management community, PMI feels it is in the best interest of project management practitioners to encourage them to participate in the ISO process. However, since participation on the national committees is normally self-funded, interested members may need financial assistance from other sources to cover expenses. One avenue for individuals to obtain funding would be to ask employers to sponsor them as a representative on the national committee.

As in the case of PMIs own standards, PMI believes diverse participation leads to well-vetted, well-represented guidance in the development of any standard. You are encouraged to learn more about this ongoing initiative. For more information, please contact Steve Fahrenkrog, PMP, PMI Director, Knowledge Delivery Group.


Call for Research Papers and Student Posters for PMI Research Conference 2008 Open through 1 November 2007

The biennial PMI Research Conference is a unique opportunity for researchers, students, educators and practitioners to share and discuss research at the forefront of the project management profession.

The 2008 conference, entitled Defining the Future of Project Management, will feature several plenary speakers, and 68 proffered papers will also be presented. The papers will be selected via a double-blind peer review process facilitated by experts from the global project management research community.

Students are also encouraged to submit abstracts to participate in the NEW student poster sessions. This is your opportunity to present your research findings to an elite group of as many as 400 high-level practitioners, academics and researchers from around the world. A $1,000.00 (US) honorarium will be presented to each of the top three poster presenters. Plus, students will enjoy a special rate on registration 50 percent off the regular price!

The fifth biennial PMI Research Conference is being held 1316 July 2008 in Warsaw, Poland. For full details and complete submission guidelines, please visit www.pmi.org or e-mail research.program@pmi.org.


Changes to PMI Educational Foundation Student Paper Award

PMI is pleased to announce an exciting change to the PMI Educational Foundation Student Paper Award. Typically the award is presented at PMIs Global Congress North America. The program has been expanded and papers will now be presented at each of PMIs four Global Congresses (Asia Pacific, EMEA, Latin America and North America). Candidates must apply for the award that corresponds to the congress in the region where they reside.

Each winning author receives a cash prize of $500.00 (US) and an expense paid trip to congress, and has the privilege to present the paper. Winning papers are also printed in PMIs Project Management Journal and are posted on the PMI Educational Foundations website, www.pmi.org/pmief. This Student Paper Award is a great opportunity for students to gain recognition, to network, and learn more about project management. For additional information on the PMIEF awards program please visit the PMIEF site online or e-mail pmief@pmi.org.


New PMI.org Online Advertising Program Now Available

We invite all educational institutions to evaluate the refreshed PMI.org website as a possible channel for your organization's marketing outreach to project management practitioners. As you know, online advertising on premium content sites is an integral component of all successfully integrated media plans.

PMI.org is the #1 search result for "project management" on Google and Ask.com and #2 on Yahoo and MSN. Take advantage of the substantial online traffic (300,000+ unique visitors per month) of PMI.org and the prestige of the PMI brand association with your school. Detailed market research by category is available from the PMI Advertising Sales Program to help you with your media planning.

All PMI.org online advertising options are available on a first come, first serve basis. Please contact Gary Voudrie with the PMI Advertising Sales Program for information. Phone: +1-301-215-6710 x 105, or e-mail pmiads@townsend-group.com.


Update on GAC Accreditation

Interest in the GAC accreditation program is growing at a remarkable rate. Currently there are 12 accredited institutions. However, there are several other schools in the pipeline, with submitted letters of intent, self-studies and scheduled on-site visits:

Institutions with GAC Accredited Programs:

  • University of Quebec Canada

  • Western Carolina University, College of Business United States

  • Stevens Institute of Technology, Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management United States

  • ISGI-Institut Superieur de Gestion Industrielle-Groupe ESC Lille France

  • University of Texas at Dallas, School of Management United States

  • University of Maryland, A.J. Clark School of Engineering United States

  • Boston University, Metropolitan College United States

  • University of Management and Technology United States

  • University of Technology, Sydney Australia

  • Eastern Michigan University, School of Engineering Technology United States

  • Fachhochschule Landshut University of the Applied Sciences Germany

  • Saint Marys University of Minnesota, School of Business and Technology United States

On-Site Visit Completed/GAC Review in Progress:

  • University of Sydney, Department of Civil Engineering Australia

  • University of Alaska, Anchorage, School of Engineering United States

Submitted Self-Study:

  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Mechanical Engineering P.R. China

Submitted Formal Letter of Intent:

  • University of Pretoria, Graduate School of Management South Africa

  • George Mason University, School of Management United States

  • DeVry University, Keller Graduate School of Management United States

  • University College Dublin, Smurfit Graduate School of Business Ireland

  • University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy Australia

  • Athabasca University, Centre for Innovative Management Canada

  • Colorado Technical University United States

  • Ramon Llull University, La Salle International Graduate School Spain

  • University of Limerick, Kemmy Business School Ireland

  • New England College, School of Graduate and Professional Studies United States

  • RMIT University, the School of Property, Construction and Project Management Australia

  • The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen Business School Scotland

  • University of Houston, College of Technology United States
Expressed Commitment to GAC Accreditation:

   - The Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST)            United Arab Emirates

 



PMI Statistics of Interest

As of 31 July 2007:

  • PMI membership exceeded 245,100 an overall increase of 11.7 percent for the year.

  • Total Project Management Professionals (PMP): 242,991.

  •  Total Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM): 2,872.

  • Worldwide there are more than 251 PMI Chapters with total Chapter membership over 182,300.

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