Kerzner Scholarship Fund for PM Students established by International Institute for Learning (IIL)

The Project Management Institute (PMI) has announced a major new scholarship fund for project management students. Students pursing a university-level degree in project management or a related field will be eligible for scholarships through the newly established Dr. Harold Kerzner Scholarship Fund. The endowed scholarship fund was created by International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL) through the Project Management Institute (PMI) Educational Foundation.

“Sponsorship of scholarships for students studying project management is one of the best investments an organization can make. Through the Dr. Harold Kerzner Scholarship Fund, IIL has donated $1 million to further this initiative and we are very thankful for their generosity, as well as for the example that it has set for others,” said Gregory Balestrero (pictured), chief executive officer of PMI and chief operating officer of the PMI Education Foundation.

“As demand for qualified project management personnel increases worldwide,” he added, “education is the key. We must have professionals who understand how to apply accepted project management standards to deliver projects on time and within budget on a consistent and predictable basis.”

Beginning in September 2008, the Dr. Harold Kerzner Scholarship Fund sponsored by International Institute for Learning, Inc. will provide four $7,500 (US) scholarships annually to deserving college students. Dr. Kerzner, PhD, MS (engineering) and MBA, is senior executive director for project and program management for IIL, and professor of business administration at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, USA. He is an expert in the areas of project management, total quality management, and strategic planning. Dr. Kerzner is the author of a number of best-selling project management textbooks including Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (now going into its tenth edition).

“The contribution of Dr. Kerzner to both the profession of project management and to the education of project managers around the world is enormous,” said IIL President and Chief Executive Officer E. LaVerne Johnson. “We can think of no better way to honor his work than through the legacy of this endowment. We are delighted to partner with the PMI Education Foundation, knowing that scholarships awarded from the Dr. Harold Kerzner Scholarship Fund will enrich the lives of students of project management for decades to come.”

Information about Dr. Harold Kerzner Scholarship Fund applications and how to support the fund with contributions can be found at pmi.org/pmief/scholarships.

The PMI Educational Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Project Management Institute (PMI), is a not-for-profit, non-political organization that champions project management knowledge and skills for educational and social good. Founded in 1990 by PMI, the PMI Education Foundation provides scholarships, confers awards, sponsors research, prepares and disseminates project management-related educational material, and awards financial grants to support project management life skills and humanitarian programs. Visit www.pmi.org/pmief for more information.

International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL) is a global leader in comprehensive consulting services and professional training in the areas of Project, Program, and Portfolio Management, PRINCE2™, Business Analysis, Microsoft® Office Project and Project Server, and Lean Six Sigma. In addition to its many courses, productivity tools, and professional certification pathways, IIL leads the way in customized course development. Its Many Methods of Learning™ enable IIL companies in more than 15 major cities around the world to deliver innovative, effective, and consistent training solutions via a variety of media (classroom, live e-Learning and self-paced learning tools). IIL is IIBA Certified, a PMI® charter global registered education provider, a Silver Alliance Circle member, and a member of PMI’s Corporate Council. For more information and free webinars, visit www.iil.com or call 800-325-1533. Also visit IIL’s PM portal, www.allPM.com.

With more than 260,000 members in 170 countries, the Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI) is the leading membership association for the project management profession and the largest association dedicated to project management in the world. As the leading advocate for the profession, PMI is actively engaged in setting professional standards, providing a professional career path for project managers and maintaining a family of globally-transferable professional credentials: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®), Project Management Professional (PMP®) and Program Management Professional (PgMPSM). Additionally, the Institute provides members with access to the knowledge, skills, educational support and networking opportunities needed to drive business results through project management, program management and portfolio management. PMI is highly regarded for its extensive research capabilities. PMI was founded in 1969. Please visit PMI.org for more information.

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Professor John-Paris Pantouvakis in Athens named International Editorial Advisor for PMForum & PM World Today

PMForum has announced that professor John-Paris Pantouvakis, Ph.D., assistant professor of construction management and director of the Centre for Construction Innovation at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) has been named an International Editorial Advisor for the monthly PM World Today eJournal.

John-Paris Pantouvakis, PhD, is a tenured assistant professor of Construction Management in the Department of Construction Engineering and Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering, at the National University of Athens. At NTUA he teaches courses on construction management, construction equipment, organization & management of underground construction, and information systems for construction. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at Aristotle University of Thessalonika where he teaches on the organization and management of construction companies and construction sites, and at the Hellenic Open University where he teaches and coordiantes a module on project organization and management. He is also a freelance consulting engineer.

One of the leading advocates of professional project management in Greece, Professor Pantouvakis is Founder and President of the Network of Project Managers in Greece (PM-Greece), the national member of the International Project Management Association (IPMA), the International Cost Engineering Council (ICEC), SENET (South Eastern Network), and MedNet (Mediterranenan Network). His areas of specialization include project planning and control methods, construction information systems, construction cost estimating, and construction management processes and procedures.

John-Paris has published many papers on construction management, information technologies and project management and is a peer reviewer for various international journals, including Construction Management and Economics, Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Operational Research – An International Journal, ASCE’s Journal of Construction Engineering & Management, Journal of Civil Engineering & Management, Middle East Forum, Journal of Engineering, Construction & Architecture Management. He has participated in many PM-related research projects over the last 20 years and co-organized various PM-related conferences, workshops and scientific events. In 2008, he is the chair of the PM-04 – 4th SCPM & 1st IPMA/MedNet – Project Management Conference organized by the Centre for Construction Innovation at NTUA and the Department of Financial & Management Engineering at the University of the Aegean and sponsored by PM-Greece, IPMA and MedNet in Chios, Greece during May 29-31, 2008.
(Information at http://2008.pmgreece.gr.)

Professor Pantouvakis is a member of various scientific and professional organizations, including the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), the Technical Chamber of Greece (TCG) and the Association of Greek Civil Engineers (ASEG). He is the Founder and Director of the Centre for Construction Innovation, National Technical University of Athens, and a member of the Hellenic Organization for Standardization Committee for the development of the Greek Project Management Standard for the Quality Assurance of National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) projects 2007-2013. John-Paris holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and M.Sc. degree in Information Technology from the University of Nottingham, UK, and a degree in Civil Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens. For additional information, visit http://paris.pantouvakis.gr.

The National Technical University (NTUA) is the oldest and most prestigious educational institution of Greece in the field of technology, and has contributed unceasingly to the country's scientific, technical and economic development since its foundation in 1836. It is closely linked with Greece's struggle for independence, democracy and social progress. In Greek, NTUA is called the "Ethnicon Metsovion Polytechnion" which stands for National Metsovion Polytechnic. It was named "Metsovion" to honor the donors and benefactors Nikolaos Stournaris, Eleni Tositsa, Michail Tositsas and Georgios Averof, all from Metsovo, a small town in the region of Epirus, who made substantial donations in the last half of the 19th century. NTUA is divided into nine academic Schools, eight being for the engineering sciences, including architecture, and one for the general sciences. The nine Faculties include more than 700 people as academic staff, 140 scientific assistants and 260 administrative and technical staff. The total number of NTUA employees is about 1350. The total number of undergraduate students is about 8500 and the graduate students 1500. The nine Faculties are divided into 33 Departments, as follows:

School of Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering, Water Resources, Hydraulic and Maritime Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Transportation Planning, Engineering Construction and Management)

• School of Mechanical Engineering (Fluid Mechanics Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Constructions and Automatic Control, Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Management and Operational Research)

• School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Electro-science, Electric Power Engineering, Computer Engineering and Informatics)

• School of Architecture (Architectural Design, Urban and Regional Planning, Interior Design and Landscaping, Building Technology-Structural Design and Mechanical Equipment)

• School of Chemical Engineering (Chemical Sciences, Process and Systems Analysis, Design and Development, Materials Science and Engineering, Synthesis and Development of Industrial Processes)

• School of Rural and Surveying Engineering (Topography, Geography and Regional Planning, Rural Technology and Development)

• School of Mining, Engineering and Metallurgy (Geological Sciences, Mining Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials Technology)

• School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

• School of Applied Mathematics and Physics (Physics, Mathematics, Humanities, Social Sciences and Law)

There are currently 19 Departmental or Inter-Departmental Postgraduate Courses, coordinated by N.T.U.A. Departments, leading to the respective "Post Graduate Specialisation Diploma" (Masters), with a minimum duration of 12 months. Moreover, NTUA participates in 9 Post-graduate Programmes coordinated by other Greek Universities. After the acquisition of the "Post Graduate Specialisation Diploma", a student can proceed towards submitting a Doctorate Thesis. For additional information about NTUA, visit http://www.ntua.gr/ntua_en.html.

The Centre for Construction Innovation was established at the NTUA in 2006 to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration in construction. Today's global economy necessitates the use of multidisciplinary teams to address complex issues on major construction projects, and for Industry - Academic collaboration. The Centre for Construction Innovation specializes in construction productivity studies; IT based construction scheduling & monitoring (4D CAD, document control, GIS/GPS, automation and tele-operation of equipment); Decision Support Systems, Management Information Systems and Coding / Classification Systems; Construction Simulation; Business Process Re-engineering; Business Plans; Feasibility Studies; and Market Research (esp. Analysis of foreign construction markets). The Centre is now fully operating with Ph.D. student researchers and is seeking ISO 9000 certification. For additional information, visit http://paris.pantouvakis.gr

PM World Today is one of the world’s leading project management eJournals, distributed free each month to subscribers worldwide and containing project management related articles, information, news and stories from leading PM authorities and experts around the world. Free subscriptions are available at www.pmworldtoday.net. The PM World Today International Editorial Advisory Council includes professors and heads of departments from some of the world’s leading universities with graduate programs in project management. Information about the PMWT International Editorial Advisory Council can be found at www.pmworldtoday.net/team.htm.

PMForum, Inc. administers and operates http://www.pmforum.org, the world’s first project management website and one of the world’s best known and leading sources of project management news and information. PMForum also publishes the monthly online PM World Today e-Journal, where articles, case studies, papers and viewpoints by leading project management authorities and experts from around the world can be found. PMForum is rapidly gaining global recognition due to its growing team of international advisors and correspondents, now representing more than 30 countries. For more information, contact editor@pmforum.org.

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