Advanced Project Management



Overview

This intensive one-day Advanced Project Management course will explore the nature of managing projects. It is an ideal follow-on from the Essentials of Project Management course.

The day focuses on the "three Cs": challenges, causes and cures. Major projects are inherently risky due to long planning horizons, complex interfaces and multi-actor processes, and non-standard technologies and designs.

One of the main challenges in project management is inadequate benefit, cost, and time forecasts.

Consequently, benefit shortfalls, cost overruns, and delays are common during project implementation and often projects are challenged from the beginning.

Programme details

This course was designed and developed in conjunction with staff from the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School.

  • The course starts with looking at characteristics and challenges in project management. 
  • The course then looks at causes of risk and three types of explanations of causes are addressed: technical explanations, psychological explanations, and political-economic explanations.
  • Finally, the course discusses cures, and in particular how to de-bias projects through reference class forecasting; and how to avoid projects running out of control, so-called Black Swans, through reducing social and technical complexities of projects.

The course offers a condensed, yet comprehensive, overview of current and emerging best-practice methodologies and techniques for meeting the challenges of managing multiple, complex science and technology projects.

We also offer a course for those new to project management, Essentials of Project Management.

As organisations seek to increase efficiency and cut costs in the increasingly challenging business climate, a focus on selecting, prioritising and delivering the right projects that directly support the strategy of the organisation is more important than ever.

Key to this strategic objective is effective Project Management, a framework to ensure that investments in projects, resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation is optimised throughout project life-cycles and through to delivery and close-out.

In short, Project Management ensures organisations do the right projects the right way.

Attending Your Course 

Further details will be emailed to you two weeks ahead of your course, which will include registration information. 

Please get in touch if you have not received this information within five working days of the course start date.  

In the meantime, you may wish to plan your travel: Travel information

Digital Certification

In order to be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criterion will be emailed after the end of the course with a link, and instructions on how to access their University of Oxford digital certificate. 

The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate, as well as share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Standard course fee £595.00

Payment

This course can be taken separately or as part of a discounted fee package, our Business and Management Skills discount week 2-6 June 2025.

Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments and lunches. The price does not include accommodation.

All courses are VAT exempt.

Register immediately online 

Click the “book now” button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.

Request an invoice

If you require an invoice for your company or personal records, please contact us. The Course Administrator will then email you an invoice. Payment is accepted online by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer. Please do not send card or bank details by email.​

Tutor

Dr Alexander Budzier

Course Tutor

Fellow in Management Practice, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Alexander Budzier’s research focuses on transformative projects and their management challenges in the field of IT, construction, energy and events.

To secure impact for his research outside academia, Alexander is widely engaged in advisory activities for the top management of several of the largest and most complex projects around the globe.

Prior to coming to the University of Oxford, Alexander worked as a consultant with McKinsey's in Düsseldorf and Chicago, and at T-Mobile International, London.

Alexander is teaching on the MBA, MPP and MSc for Major Programme Management, a part-time executive degree at the University of Oxford, as well as the Major Project Leadership Academy, a leadership development programme for the top 300 project managers in the UK civil service.

His work has been widely covered by the Financial Times, Forbes, BBC Radio 4, MIT Technology Review, ComputerWeekly, McKinsey Quarterly, InformationWeek, BBC News, and many others.

Application

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click 'Ask a Question' at the top of this page. 

Level and demands

This course is designed specifically to benefit engineers, scientists, managers and other staff in large or small public and private sector organisations. It is designed for those who have responsibility for project and programme management who want to improve their knowledge of the latest developments in this area. Some prior experience of project management is expected.

If you're uncertain whether this course is suitable for your requirements, please email us with any questions you may have.

Accommodation

Although not included in the course fee, accommodation may be available at our on-site Rewley House Residential Centre. All bedrooms are en suite and decorated to a high standard, and come with tea- and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi access and Freeview TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

To check prices, availability and to book rooms please visit the Rewley House Residential Centre website. 

Enrolled students are entitled to discounted accommodation rates for the purpose of study, at Rewley House, and can contact the administration team for the promotional code to use for making online accommodation bookings via the website.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support