Human resource gap
The 21st century has seen an increase in the use of Project Management as a management tool to meet organisational goals and objectives. Increasingly, both public and private organisations are making use of project teams, to not only achieve goals and objectives, but to also find solutions to complex problems/needs or take advantage of opportunities. In addition, citizens, customers/clients, and many other stakeholders are increasingly demanding and expecting improved, efficient and effective management of projects, so as to derive maximum benefits. This is due to the fact that, failed or unsuccessful projects lead to losses for private and commercial organisations, and wastage of resources in the public and the NGO sectors. Therefore, the Bachelor of Arts in Project Management is designed to equip students with relevant and updated knowledge, skills, tools and methods that will enable them to effectively and competently manage projects, across different sectors. This is against the backdrop, from our experience offering the Certificate Course in Project Management, of a shortage of trained project management professionals in Zambia and the Southern Africa region.
Relevance:
The relevance of the Bachelor of Arts in Project Management hinges on the development of human resources capable of initiating, planning, implementing/controlling, monitoring and evaluating projects and programmes, for the betterment of the Zambian society and beyond. The programme is designed to provide students with fundamental knowledge and skills in management, monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes across different sectors.
Courses are combined in such a way as to produce graduates with skills necessary to face and overcome challenges in Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation. This is necessary in view of the fact that, as the country continues to develop, specialist manpower is required in the public, private and non-governmental sectors. Therefore, the graduates of this programme are equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide the expertise in this regard. Additionally, the programme imparts enough knowledge and skills to enable graduates to become self-employed in various economic undertakings. The programme also provides a basis for advanced training for any postgraduate degree in Project Management in higher learning institutions across the globe.
Acceptability:
The main stakeholders in Bachelor of Arts in Project Management are Government ministries, departments, agencies, NGOs, International agencies and organisations, Project Management institute-Zambia Chapter, Zambia Monitoring and Evaluation Association, as well as private sector and civil society organisations.
The overriding interest of these stakeholders is the development of human resources capable of managing, monitoring and evaluating projects and programmes across different sectors, for the betterment of the Zambian society and beyond. The stakeholders also benefit by having a programme that contributes to the advancement, in the principles, techniques, methods and approaches in the field of Project Management.
