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Project way of thinking and project-based management are now fully accepted as means of responding to the challenges of a fast changing business environment, rising customer expectations and tighter regulatory environment. Risk and uncertainty management has become pivotal to business success. To be successful businesses have to take on increasingly more complex and daring projects and programs to maintain their position, improve their profitability and respond to competition. They need a range of project-based management capabilities at different levels of organization and for different roles to be able to perform at a competitive level and deliver results. An organization needs to have a vision and leadership to guide it towards attainment of its goals and realization of its vision. It needs to undergo assessment and planning to map its capabilities at different levels. Organizational capabilities are developed through a 3 dimensional approach covering people, organizational systems and culture and environmental alignment. Organizations do not furnish capabilities, their people do. Program managers need to align with business strategies, apply governance to their project portfolio and programs and manage resources and risks. Project managers/directors need to concentrate on project value management, integration of inputs and holistic management of projects and programs. Teams need to manage project challenges, apply creativity, and participate in development and application of innovative holistic solutions. This narrative implies that for an organization - wide learning and development plan to be effective it has to factor in the differing needs of all professionals and their current or intended roles. Both seasoned and young professionals can acquire relevant knowledge and competencies at different levels through different means, including learning through experience. However, unstructured learning can be a hit-and-miss affair and it can be costly; it is not certain that the relevant staff member will be exposed to the latest areas of thinking. Also, opportunities for first hand engagement with diverse assignments at different levels are limited. It is not practical to undertake experimentation at work front either. Time span to development is significant; for most professionals it is beneficial to accelerate the process through a more systematic framework. Asia Pacific International College in association with S. P. Jain Center of Management recognizes these realities and offers an effective program in this field; it provides opportunity for professional people to fast track their professional and managerial development and acquires high level project and program management competencies. Key attributes targeted are:
Master of Business and Project Management "We are what we MBPM is a high quality Australian government accredited competency-based flexible program for combined professional development and postgraduate education leading to a recognized postgraduate qualification. The program has been designed to impart high level professional competencies. Entry is open to graduates of all relevant disciplines. Professionals with appropriate qualifications who have not completed a bachelor's degree may also be considered for admission subject to meeting the required criteria. The program caters to a range of needs, from learning core knowledge on project and program management, acquiring skills and high level competencies to manage projects effectively and set strategic direction, govern and lead complex projects, programs and project businesses. The program provides a holistic learning and development experience. It equips graduates with competencies needed to deliver results in an increasingly complex environment. APIC has developed professional competency models, frameworks, tools and standards that transcend the traditional vocational competencies and equip the professional person with the abilities needed to manage projects, programs and project-based business units in an environment of uncertainty, complexity and accelerated change. These competencies apply to various roles in a range of organizations. In summary, The MBPM Program
Objective The objective of the MBPM is to encourage development of a superior grade of project and program management executives as business leaders, strategic thinkers and agents of change. Typical roles in industry include Program Manager, Project Director, Department Head and Director. Given the complexity and uncertainty that characterize large complex projects and programs, as well as their business environments, the industry needs higher level professionalism and meta-cognitive abilities not normally catered for in traditional master degree courses. Numerous studies show that professionally-trained leaders with refined intellectual and professional skills are needed globally to lead project-based business endeavours. Research has shown that this type of farsighted and well-developed professionals are in demand in all sectors of the economy, particularly as the project-based management philosophy and practice spread and as project management professionals assume the charge of project-oriented business units. Formulating major projects, programs, portfolios and networks- a traditionally complex area of business- has become even more complex due to the prevalence of major risks, uncertainty and complexity in ventures and their environments. To succeed one needs a blend of focused leadership, business acumen, and professional skills. The MBPM aims to prepare professionals for such roles. The Master of Business and Project Management is a formally accredited and recognized postgraduate degree conforming to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Unlike the traditional MBA and master degree programs, the MBPM is strongly project-oriented and competency based, promoting leadership and transformative practice. It promotes strategy-based project-oriented management within a wide range of contexts and applications.
Course Structure MBPM is awarded after completing 8 course units (48 credit points), of which 4 units (24 credit points) are Primary Core, 2 units (12 credit points) are Secondary Core and 2 units (12 credit points) are selected from the range of Elective units on offer. Candidates may complete a Master dissertation in lieu of the elective units. In addition, all candidates are required to pass the Master Seminar upon completion of all their units of study.
Eligibility Criteria Admission to the MBPM degree is subject to the candidates meeting specified criteria. As a minimum, a bachelor degree (or equivalent) in an applicable discipline, (e.g. science, IT, software, construction, engineering, architecture, economics, commerce and planning) is required. Candidates without a bachelor degree may be admitted to the MBPM candidature subject to achieving at least Credit Average result (65% WAM) in the units of study undertaken as part of their Postgraduate Diploma course.
Teaching and Learning Methodologies The Master of Business and Project Management focuses on holistic project-centered learning and development. Projects are not just means to orderly delivery of a given outcome but paradigms for multidiscipline teamwork, development of breakthrough solutions and achievement of stretched targets. They are also paradigms for holistic evaluation of decisions resulting in increased project value on a global level thus delivering not only economic benefits but also improving the quality of stakeholders' experience generally. The MBPM has been designed to promote multi-discipline teamwork, creativity, reflective learning and self management. It is student-centred, offering customizable, flexible planned and structured solutions meeting the needs of each individual student or professional person within an integrated total framework as already described.
Learning and Development Philosophy "I hear and Confucius (China's most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, 551-479 BC) S.P. Jain Center of Management and Asia Pacific International College both subscribe to the philosophy of learning through engagement in realistic settings. They understand and emphasize the non-linear and complex nature of professional assignments and their complex environments. While learning is context-based, the development of competencies is not constrained. Competency acquisition is generally internal to the actors who engage with the project and the host environment. Of course, there is intervention in terms of advice and mentoring, e.g. models needed to interpret the complex setting and the attendant challenges, theories, techniques and tools, assessment and feedback etc. This model of learning and development is synonymous with "clinical learning." It must not be confused with unstructured learning or ad-hoc experience. Under the above approach individual learning deepens within a teamwork context and process. Typically teams study their project challenges and the host environment collectively, make sense of the same, design and apply their own actions, then evaluate the results, adjust their actions and continue the process till they can meet or exceed the goals in an optimal manner. This is termed high performance team learning and practice. The course provides an opportunity for development of cohesive and high performing teams. The whole environment is rich with opportunities for engagement, reflection and learning.
Unit of Study Design Our approach to unit of study design is depicted below. As seen, each unit of study has 3 components:
Intensive Knowledge Workshops Each unit of study commences with its own intensive knowledge workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to lay an intellectual framework for the subject unit, present the fundamentals, engage students in intensive learning, debate and discourse, achieve a degree of knowledge alignment and test the adequacy of the participants' knowledge prior to the start of the project phase. It will also provide an opportunity for students and staff to get to know one another better, and to socialize and receive intellectual stimulation in the process. Project Phase Each unit of study has its own project phase, typically lasting 10 weeks. The project phase is an opportunity for a team of 4 to 6 students to work together effectively on a case project responding to a specific project brief which lays down terms of reference, criteria and constraints that need to be observed in deriving a solution for the case project. Each team will typically work on a single case project that is sourced from one employer organization or otherwise provided. Selected case projects are neither too simplistic so as to be of limited value nor too complex that cannot be tackled during the currency of the course by student teams. All case projects are unique, though different aspects of the same case project can also be considered in certain units of study. Competency Assessment Phase Each unit of study culminates with the competency assessment phase during which students demonstrate their acquired competencies to the examiners. The focus is on the specific competencies targeted in the unit of study under consideration. The examiners use the following evidence to assess each student through a viva process:
Each student is required to compile his or her final report progressively independent of their team. Students need to record their observations and reflect on the work undertaken by their team. They need to delineate how the learning activities have contributed to the acquisition of target competencies. The range of evidence includes peer and employer competency assessment results, self assessment, contribution to the project work and other evidence that the student can assemble to support or substantiate his or her competency claim in a given unit of study. The process of individual reflection is integrated with that of team performance assessment and improvement. Professional Development Planning (PDP) Workshop The aim of the PDP Workshop is to assist fresh graduates as well as experienced professional and executive people to set goals and optimize their learning and development efforts in their field of interest. All graduate students are required to undertake Professional Development Planning (PDP) prior to commencing their studies. To facilitate this process the college stages a scheduled PDP Workshop in each semester. The PDP Workshop is designed to be of interest to employer organizations too in terms of aligning graduate and executive development with the organizational improvement goals. Through its structured process, and under guidance of qualified mentors, participants will develop their L&D plans that will guide their attempt in acquiring target competencies in an efficient and effective manner.
A Recognized Higher Education Institution for Transformative Education APIC is a government registered, not-for-profit Australian higher education institution devoted to providing planned, customized, responsive, structured, competency-based accredited courses, flexible to suit professional people, individual organizations, industry sectors and government. Both SPJCM and APIC aim to produce graduates who are competent, confident leaders with acquired new capabilities. Our charter is:
SP Jain Center of Management with campuses in Dubai and Singapore is aligned with SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), which has emerged as one of the premier business school in Asia and India. S P Jain Center of Management (SPJCM) Dubai was established as the full- time residential business school at the prestigious Dubai Knowledge village in the year 2004. Effective November 2006 the Dubai campus has moved to the Dubai International Academic City, occupying a stand alone building spread over 70000 sq ft. In order to replicate its success and achievements in management education in the global arena, S P Jain has established a third campus in Singapore. Within a short span, SP Jain has carved a niche for itself for quality education and currently runs numerous world class programs including Global Masters in Business Administration, Executive Masters in Business Administration in both campuses. SP Jain has established the Center for Executive Education in Dubai, with a Center of Excellence in HR in association with SHRM, USA. S.P Jain Center of Management and Asia Pacific International College have jointly established an International Project Management Center of Excellence which will be a resource base for all corporate clients in the region and will offer a range of diagnostic and consulting services, as well as advice and support to both private and public sector projects and organizations. The Master of Business and Program in Project Management is jointly introduced in the region by APIC and SP Jain Center of Management.
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