Lancaster University & CITI raise the standard

The growing demand for accredited project managers is to be met by the new Certificate in Professional Project Management delivered through an alliance of CITI and Lancaster University. This new Certificate will become the pre-eminent project management qualification, displacing the APM certification and other similar awards.

Government departments and commercial organisations depend on projects. The need for more and better professional project managers is becoming increasingly critical, and this need is not being met because the current accreditation offering is either too low level or fragmented into industry specific domains.

The success of projects is directly related to the capability of the project manager and the failure to deliver major projects is a national issue. In a series of damning reports the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has commented very critically on the project capability of major government departments and the public has become aware of major project failures both in the public and private sector.

Through the combination of CITI's professional project management development programme and Lancaster University's expertise in providing Masters programmes in project management, the new Certificate will establish a body of professional project managers able to manage complex projects. With over 2,500 project managers having passed through the pre-cursors of the Certificate, the CITI-Lancaster University alliance will make a significant contribution to the professionalisation of the project management community.

Steve Kempster, Director of the Project Management Division at Lancaster University Management School announced,
"This is a really exciting development that allows Lancaster University to make a real contribution to the commercial world of project management."

The Certificate programme focuses the learning on current active projects and assessment is based on a series of work-based assignments throughout a fourteen month period. Individuals achieve a qualification that provides real business benefit. Companies that employ the individuals who achieve the Certificate can be confident that they have hired project managers at the top of their profession, who are focused on making their projects successful.

Dr Christopher Worsley, CEO of CITI Group stated,
"The Certificate creates a body of professional project managers that combines academic rigour and exposure to world class best practice with practical tools and techniques. This Certificate really means that they are the best!"

The first group are already in place and subsequent tranches will be started on a six weekly cycle. It is expected that this programme will put up to 200 certificated project managers in the field every year, building UK's professional project management base to a world class level within five years.

If you are interested in joining the programme or would like more information please contact the business development unit on 01908 283600.