Study to Apply Project Management and Fundamental Competencies for Improvement of Project Activities in University

Abstract

The present study proposes an idea for project management and fundamental competencies to improve project activities in university. Considering that students are beginners in terms of project activities and that the project term is limited, effective ideas and tools are needed for projects to succeed. In this study, Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide (PMBOK), a well-known reference in business world, is applied to improve project activities. In addition, performance is also critical for ongoing projects. To satisfy this requirement, a definition of “Fundamental Competencies for Working Person” is applied to project activities. A change of students’ recognition from this perspective through the project activities is evaluated. The students felt the lack of making careful planning during their project activities. Moreover, they wish to acquire execution skill to improve their project quality. A two-dimensional map with process groups and knowledge areas defined by PMBOK and competency factors defined by “Fundamental Competencies for Working Person” is proposed to improve the prospects for project execution. This map becomes the useful tool as a procedure and the instruction guide for the project students and the teaching staff, and facilitates improvement in the quality of the project products and the process.