Schulich School of Engineering project management program expands to India

Schulich School of Engineering project management program expands to India

Janaka Ruwanpura, Director and Canada Research Chair in Project Management Systems at the University of Calgary, speaks March 16 in Mumbai, India, at the announcement of the Advanced Diploma in Project Management program. Photo courtesy Janaka Ruwanpura.
Project management expertise from the University of Calgary is making its mark in India with the launch of the Advanced Diploma in Project Management program in Mumbai. It is a partnership involving the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education and the state’s Ministry of Technical and Higher Education. Courses get underway in August.

The diploma is equivalent to the Project Management Certificate (PMC) program at the University of Calgary with a focus on managing mega projects to realize cost savings by improving project predictability and efficiency. Industry experts in India will teach courses for 100 students in collaboration with professors from the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering who will travel to Mumbai.

“The widespread interest in our programs shows there’s demand for strong project management skills all over the world,” explains Janaka Ruwanpura, Director and Canada Research Chair in Project Management Systems at the Schulich School of Engineering. “Knowing how to effectively manage major projects is crucial no matter where you are.”

In early 2012, Ruwanpura will also introduce a master’s degree program in Mumbai that is similar to a program he already operates in Iran at Sharif University of Technology. Students will complete most of their courses in India but will also spend a semester studying at the University of Calgary.

India’s new project management programs have strong support within the Maharashtra state government. Several dignitaries attended the March 16 announcement: Rajesh Tope, Hon. Minister of Technical and Higher Education, D.P. Sawant, Hon. Minister of State, Medical Education, Higher and Technical Education and Non-Conventional Energy, Mahesh Pathak, Secretary, Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, and S.K. Mahajan, Director of Technical Education. Daniel Bood from the Consulate General of Canada in Mumbai also took part.

This educational partnership took shape after a delegation from the Maharashtra state government toured educational institutions in Alberta and Ontario last year. Ruwanpura and Anil Mehrotra, interim dean of the Schulich School of Engineering, then travelled to India in January 2011 and struck a deal to offer the project management courses.

Project management programs at the University of Calgary have an international reputation for teaching skills covering topics related to planning, risk management, project controls, communication, leadership, team building as well as specialized topics in executing large engineering and construction projects. Professors are known for using their experience working in industry and bringing latest research innovations to link classroom discussions to real world scenarios.