APM supports the future of project research

APM is supporting the next generation of project academics and professionals by helping people to attend the upcoming British Academy of Management (BAM) conference.

BAM is the leading authority on the academic field of management in the UK, supporting and representing its community of scholars and engaging with international peers.

Now in its 35^th year, the BAM conference will feature professional development workshops, panel discussions and live presentations of research papers, giving delegates from all over the world the opportunity to learn, share and engage.

Project management has long been a popular topic at the event. The growing recognition and influence of the profession led to a dedicated track of project-themed sessions being instigated at last year’s conference. This will continue at the 2021 event with the ‘Project Experiences’ track.

APM is supporting the event with a stipend that will fund up to 12 additional places that will be made available to doctoral candidates or early career project researchers.

Naomi Brookes, professor of complex programme management at WMG, University of Warwick, is helping to organise the BAM Project Experiences track in her role as track co-chair. She said: “This event will be an integrated conference experience, delivered online. At a time of such disruption, events like this are critical to facilitating good quality work within the research community. With university budgets extremely strained due to COVID-19 and limited funding being made available to support doctoral candidates and early career researchers, we are very pleased to be collaborating with APM to be enable more people to be involved.”

Dr Christine Unterhitzenberger, associate professor in project management at the School of Civil Engineering at University of Leeds and track co-chair, who is also helping to organise the event, added: “Conferences are an integral part of academic development. They’re an opportunity for peer-to-peer discussions that enhance the creative thinking taking place in our community.

“By giving more people an opportunity to attend, APM is showing its commitment to supporting the next generation of project scholars.”

BAM’s Chair Professor Katy Mason, who is professor of markets and management at Lancaster University Management School, said: “Project management is a core piece of the jigsaw of skills that are necessary for good organisations, so we are delighted to see the Project Experiences stream take its place at the heart of our conversations, and we very much welcome this support from the APM in enabling more of our newest researchers to participate and become part of the conversation.”

The BAM 2021 Conference takes place from 31 August - 3 September. More information is available on the BAM website.

If you are a doctoral candidate or an early career researcher and would like to apply for an APM-funded place at the event, contact Dr Christine Unterhitzenberger by Monday, 7 June. Preference will be given to applicants whose papers have been accepted for presentation at the event and/or who are unable to obtain funding from their institution.