1 - KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING - To provide students with the background and analytical skills necessary to understand the structure and functioning of project management
2 – APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING – To make the student able to develop advanced skills to develop his/her ability to plan, develop and manage a project
3 - MAKING JUDGMENTS - To promote the student's ability to evaluate critically the possible problems that managing a project could create
4 - COMMUNICATION SKILLS – To teach the student to express the concepts learned during the course with accuracy and precision. Communication skills are very important for a career in project management in every field
5 - LEARNING SKILLS - To make students able to orient themselves in the context of project planning and management – planning a project, developing and estimating the work, managing the project successfully – and to increase their ability to find the best sources for their goals.

None

The course offers an introduction to project management theoretical foundations, operational methodologies and practical skills used for preparing and evaluating proposals, planning execution and controlling implementation of projects. The approach used in class will be a mix of conceptual learning and application of tools and procedures in exercises. The goal is providing students with the necessary knowledge to understand Project Cycle Management’s general principles and operational methodologies, acquire a comprehensive approach and learn how to use a dedicated toolbox to develop a proposal. Attending students will be asked to work on specific aspects of project management, from understanding and interpreting a funding program and/or a call, to the drafting of parts of a project proposal.
The program is subdivided into 3 modules, namely:
Module 1: Project Cycle Management foundations
Project Cycle Management (PCM): main concepts, definitions, vocabulary
Introduction to EU Programs: funding landscape, calls for proposal, evaluation criteria
Workshop: How to read a call for proposals and develop a preliminary project idea
Module 2: Logical Framework Approach and proposal writing
Logical Framework Approach: analysis and planning phases
How to write a project: methodological and practical tips
Workshop: From idea to proposal

Module 3: Developing a project proposal: a practical exercise with tips on how to use AI tools effectively
The analytical stage in practice: context, stakeholders, problems, objectives and strategy
The planning stage in practice: work breakdown structure, activity and resource scheduling
Workshop: Applying for funding and evaluating a project proposal

For attending and non-attending students:
“Project Management Methodology - Guide 3.0.1”, European Commission - Centre of Excellence in Project Management, Brussels | Luxembourg, 2021 (link)
Aid Delivery Methods: Project Cycle Management Guidelines – EuropeAid, 2004 (link)
Recommended readings:
“Fundamentals of project management”, 5th ed., J. Heagney, American Management Association, 2016
Note: more reading materials will be recommended in class

Teaching methods include lectures with the help of slides; participation of experts who will share their knowledge with the students; and the involvement and direct participation of attending students.

ATTENDING STUDENTS: the final assessment is based on one written exam with open-ended and multiple-choice questions (50%) and the active participation of students with the submission of a final written work (50%).
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: given the nature of the course, attendance is strongly encouraged. However, for non-attending students the final assessment is based on a written exam with open-ended and multiple-choice questions concerning the content of the textbooks “Project Management Methodology - Guide 3.0.1”, European Commission - Centre of Excellence in Project Management, Brussels | Luxembourg, 2021 (link) and Aid Delivery Methods: Project Cycle Management Guidelines – EuropeAid, 2004

Given the multisectoral nature of the discipline and the wide range of topics funding programs insist upon in line with mainstream EU and international policies, this course delves into topics closely related to many if not all objectives of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda of the United Nations.