Registration for the NASA Project Management Challenge 2007, NASA’s fourth annual project management conference, has been closed early due to over subscription.

NASA’s PM Challenge provides a platform for an examination of current trends in project management and offers a forum for knowledge sharing, exchange of lessons learned, leadership development, team building and training. The conference will be held 6-7 February 2007 at Moody Gardens Hotel and Convention Center in Galveston, Texas, USA, near the Johnson Space Center.

According to the conference brochure, Track Themes will include the following:

• Spotlight on Systems Engineering

• Team Building Blocks

• Knowledge Works

• Down to Business

• Launch and Learn

• Shared Voyages

• Rick Management

• Back to Basics

• Great Ideas

• Hot Topics

• CSI: NASA

Keynote speakers this year will include Michael L. Coats, Director, Johnson Space Center; Rex D. Geveden, NASA Associate Administrator; Gregory Balestrero, Chief Executive Officer, Project Management Institute; Bryan D. O'Connor, NASA Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer, NASA HQ; Frank L. Culbertson, Jr., Senior Vice President, SAIC; William H. Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator for Space Operations, NASA HQ; Christopher Scolese, NASA Chief Engineer, NASA HQ; Edward J. Hoffman, Director of the NASA Academy of Program/Project and Engineering Leadership (APPEL); Cathy Claunch, Acting Deputy Comptroller, NASA HQ; and former astronaut Franklin Chang Diaz, Chairman & CEO Ad Astra Rocket Company USA.

With attendance priced at $375 per person, NASA’s PM Challenge conference may be the best bargain in the world of project management this year, as attendees get to hear from and mingle with NASA program and project managers. Last year’s conference attracted 985 attendees, 107 speakers and 45 vendor exhibitors. More participants have apparently signed up this year. The conference is sponsored by NASA's Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL) in association with The Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE) and The Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA). NASA’s project managers for this even are Dorothy Tiffany and Walt Majerowicz.

Created by The National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America’s focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. On January 14, 2004, President George W. Bush announced A Renewed Spirit of Discovery: The President’s Vision for U.S. Space Exploration, a new directive for the USA’s space exploration program.

For nearly 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the development and usage of advanced program and project management. With its PM Challenge conferences, NASA is now sharing those experiences and exploring new PM topics with its contractors, stakeholders and the world of project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov.

In support of its recently released International Competence Baseline (ICB3), The International Project Management Association (IPMA) has announced that its Swiss Member will host an Expert Seminar on Ethics in Project Management. The Zürich based Seminar will be held at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology from Thursday 14 February to Saturday 16 February 2008.

The hosts, Swiss Project Management Association (SPM) spokesman Dr. Hans Knöpfel said ‘The subject of ethics in project management is assuming a greater importance to project managers and this is recognised in IPMA’s ICB. This expert seminar is aimed at everyone who has to deal with ethics in projects and with professional codes of conduct.’

Although there has always been a strong ethical component in IPMA’s constitution, and member associations have been encouraged to devise their own code of conduct, ethics is now a compulsory behaviour element in ICB3 and so will feature in all certification activities. This seminar is seen as a significant contribution to the governance of projects in the 40 plus IPMA member countries.

In announcing the International Expert Seminar, Dr Knöpfel, a member of IPMA’s Certification Validation Management Board which overseas the implementation of ICB and the validation of Certification Bodies under ISO 17024, said “This event should appeal to all those working on aspects such as sustainability and governance. We have a number of experts to provide discussion on theoretical aspects so we aim the main participation at experienced project managers, line management and Directors of project based companies.”

Further details will be available through SPM at their website http://www.spm.ch and www.IPMA.ch.

Founded in 1967, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is the world’s oldest project management professional organization. IPMA is an international network of national project management societies that serve the specific project management development needs of each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization to represent them at the international level.

The IPMA is truly a global organization with over 40 national representative societies spread across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The local bodies promote project management professionalism on the specific cultural requirements across all types of projects. IPMA’s internationally acclaimed 4 Level Project Management Certification Programme continues to grow dramatically, with over 50.000 professionals having now achieved IPMA Certification. The IPMA annually presents project management awards to teams that achieve, and can prove, great feats in project management. IPMA maintains its continuous presence in the global project management arena through its regular hosting of International Symposia, Expert Seminars and its Annual World Congress. For more information, visit www.ipma.ch.

Reported by Miles Shepherd in London.