APM Welcomes a Rise in Number of UK Universities With Its Accredited Status

Supporting Academic Excellence in Project Management

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Association for Project Management (APM) has welcomed a rising number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) which offer APM accredited academic courses in project management. There are now 42 accredited degrees and courses - those which demonstrate alignment to the APM Body of Knowledge, a practical resource which outlines concepts and terms used within the project management community - and 11 universities across the UK which have gained APM’s newest course recognition, recognised assessment, demonstrating their courses meets either the technical knowledge or the technical knowledge and professional practice criteria needed to achieve the Chartered Standard for project professionals.

With a rapid growth of projects being undertaken across the globe it means that project management professionals are in high demand, and project related skills and techniques must develop at pace. Some of the most popular sectors with opportunities for project managers include technology, construction, manufacturing, engineering and finance, but there are many other sectors where project management skills are also vital.

Aspiring project managers choosing project management education in the UK through HEIs including universities and colleges to support and progress their careers, can be safe in the knowledge that many have been formally accredited by APM, the only chartered membership organisation in the world representing the project profession. APM is at the forefront of raising awareness and understanding of the professionalisation of project management across all industry sectors.

HEIs awarded with academic accreditation and recognised assessment will be provided with specific APM accreditation logos which they can use on their website and other promotional materials, and other joint marketing opportunities. They will also have access to a prominent and growing accredited HEI network. Students who complete an academic accredited course can also apply for full membership of APM through a preferential route. Those that hold a recognised assessment will also be able to apply for full membership as well as for Chartered status either through Route 1 or Route 2.

Since the launch of APM's chartered standard in 2017, organisations including HEIs can also link their assessments to the chartered standard through the Recognised Assessment Scheme. This means that anyone who has successfully passed a recognised assessment may apply to become a Chartered Project Professional (ChPP).

UK based Arden University currently offers two academic accredited courses - the MSc Project Management and BSc Project Management which is one of the latest CHPP recognised assessments offered by an HEI.

Paul Moses, Lecturer at the School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Project Management at Arden University said: “Having APM accreditation status is a Herzberg hygiene factor now for most universities. The status isn’t something to attract students, it’s expected and not having it drives away potential students. It’s a mark of assurance that the degree is recognised by the industry and the knowledge they’ll gain aligns with the needs of employers.

“The recognised assessment represents a competitive advantage for the university to attract students but more importantly for our graduates in the employment market. Project Management especially is an industry driven field, if a university isn’t accredited then it would be very hard to argue its teaching skills needed for a professional workplace.

“APM is the leading professional body in the UK and has ever increasing global recognition. We have distance learning students all over the world who see the APM accreditation as something that makes them stand out in their home marketplace when applying for roles. Having our BSc syllabus be recognised as meeting all the aspects needed for the knowledge section of the application was really rewarding. Our graduates now benefit from a speedy route to ChPP.”

A BSc Project Management graduate from Arden University said: “If the course isn’t accredited then I’d be asking why not? I would be concerned that I would be missing out on areas of knowledge or quality or relevance to the industry. I’m aiming to become the first ChPP in my organisation and use that to grow my career.”

Dina Khalidi, Head of Business Development at APM says: “Having accreditation by the only chartered membership organisation for the project professional really helps instil confidence in prospective students and teaching staff; it’s a mark of quality for those looking to access the best in education and professional development.”