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, prioritizing 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.

This course can be be taken as part of a weekly discount fee package (17 - 22 June).

Week 1 of our Business and Management Skills programme (10 - 15 June 2024)  is also available with a discount.

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

To complete the course, you will be required to attend and participate in all of the sessions on the course in order to be considered for a certificate. Participants who complete the course will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course.

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

Fees

Description Costs
Standard course fee £545.00

Payment

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

Ms Karlene Agard

Tutor

Karlene Agard is the Project X Research Fellow for the Value Theme A, based at the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School. She researches unexpected value in projects. Karlene has won academic and practitioner awards.

Karlene is reading for the Executive Masters in Major Programme Management at Saïd Business School. She completed an undergraduate degree in Engineering Business Management at the University of Warwick in 2009. Karlene has delivered guest lectures at the University of Warwick Business School and the University of Greenwich, and she speaks at conferences internationally.

As a Senior Consultant, she uses her risk and value expertise to help private and public organisations across the globe deliver projects successfully. She has written for Forbes, McKinsey, Deloitte and Entrepreneur, as well as risk, value and project management publications. Karlene was one of the youngest women to be appointed a Fellow of the Association for Project Management.

Prior to consulting, she worked for Network Rail, Transport for London and the House of Commons (UK Parliament). She enjoyed working on Crossrail 2, Thameslink and the International Trade Select Committee.

Application

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click Contact Us 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. 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support