Graduate wins international award

16 Nov 2011

A University of Manchester graduate has received the International Project Management Association (IPMA) Young Researcher 2011 Award in recognition of his doctorate work.

Dr Mehmood Alam, who graduated from the University’s School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, won the prize for his award-winning research investigating the effectiveness of continuing professional development in project management, and impressed the judges by establishing the widely-debated link between investment in project management and the benefits at a corporate level.

Currently working for AMEC Nuclear as a project manager, Dr Alam came to The University of Manchester from his native Pakistan in September 2003, to study on the MSc Management of Projects.

After graduating with distinction in 2004, he was selected for a PhD scholarship, supervised by Professor Andrew Gale. The scholarship was funded by an industrial consortium, led by Rolls-Royce, in collaboration with AMEC, Goodrich and EDS.

On completing his PhD, Dr Alam took up a position with AMEC Nuclear and retained his connection with Professor Gale and the Management of Projects Research Group in MACE as a Visitor, and he continues to publish papers and collaborate with the School.

Professor Gale said: “There has been sustained interest in Mehmood’s work. Recently, the European Construction Institute invited Mehmood as a guest speaker and we look forward to collaborating on a research initiative relating to return on investment in CPD programmes.”

“I am very proud to have been associated with Mehmood’s research and feel that this is a good example of how higher education can work effectively with industry to add value to the professional development of practitioners.”

Dr Alam said: “It is indeed an honour for me to win the award. Competing internationally and being recognised by an organisation such as IPMA truly reflects the high quality research undertaken at The University of Manchester with industrial collaboration.”

IPMA represents more than 50 project management associations from all over the world. Actively promoting project management to businesses and organisations globally, IPMA has established itself as a world-leading not-for-profit project management organisation.