Regional Project Management Conference 2012 to be held in Sri Lanka

By Joshua Nicholas

Project Management Institute (PMI) Colombo Chapter announced that this year’s Regional Project Management Conference will be held in Sri Lanka. It also launched the National Project Management Excellence (NPME) Awards.

PMI is the world’s leading not-for-profit Project Management membership association, with more than 600,000 members and credential holders in more than 185 countries. It provides globally recognised standards and credentials for Project Management (PM) as well as research programs and development opportunities.

The objectives of PMI in Sri Lanka are: to develop project management professions in Sri Lanka, to facilitate the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification process, to promote PM as a key profession, to take PM in Sri Lanka to world class standards, to become a recognised professional body committed to developing project managers, and to support organisations with PM training and consultancy.

The Regional Conference will be held between 27 and 29 April at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel. It boasts 32 topics in two main themes, 15 foreign project specialists from different industries, two parallel professional day sessions, an opening speech by Hon. Secretary to His Excellency President of Sri Lanka Lalith Weeratunga, and a key note address by Past Chair- Board Director PMI USA Eugene Bounds.

The objectives of the conference include: contributing positively towards national productivity, the improvement of project results, the support of professional and career advancement, and the sharing of experience and reasons for project success or failure. PMI Colombo hopes the conference will serve to improve professional knowledge and practices of PM which in turn will improve project results. The event will also be used to promote Sri Lanka and Colombo as venues for professional conferences and events.

The NPME Awards are designed to recognise and honour Sri Lankan project managers, project management teams or organisations that have made outstanding contributions to the development of the country, a large community or an industry, while demonstrating leadership and initiative derived from the best practices of project management.

Any legally registered entity in Sri Lanka is eligible for an award, provided they are managed by a Sri Lankan Citizen, have an approved scope, schedule, budget, and time frame, are located within the territorial boundaries of Sri Lanka, 50% of the management team are located within Sri Lanka, and have a significant and tangible outcome or benefit to the Sri Lankan nation.

There are six award categories: Overall Project of the Year, Best National Project – Government, Best National Project – Not for Profit, Best National Project – Private, Best Community Project, and Best Green Project.  The NPME Awards Ceremony is to be held in August 2012, where it is hoped President Mahinda Rajapaksa will present the awards.