Who does this affect?

Clients providing goods and services to the Commonwealth Department of Defence.

What do you need to do?

Read our Defence client alert for further information and links to relevant materials.

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Cheng Lim  
Partner
T +61 3 9643 4193

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Melbourne
Cheng Lim  
Read our Defence client alert for further information and links to relevant materials. Mark Weber  
Read our Defence client alert for further information and links to relevant materials.

Canberra
Adam Bartlett  
Read our Defence client alert for further information and links to relevant materials.

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There is a strong emerging body of evidence and academic research indicating that traditional, linear project management tools and techniques, while still necessary, are insufficient to manage the most complex of today’s projects.

A key aspect of this initiative is the establishment of the College of Complex Project Managers (CCPM), which will provide international leadership at the complex end of the project management continuum.

Consequently, Australian, UK and US Government bodies and the Defence Industry have recently banded together to jointly support an initiative to improve the international community’s capability to deliver very complex projects across all industry sectors.

Establishment of the College of Complex Project Managers

This international initiative has a strategic vision aimed at improving the international project community’s capability to deliver more complex projects, and has three strands:

• the establishment of the College of Complex Project Managers (CCPM),
• the development and maintenance of a Competency Standard to certify and develop Complex Project Managers, and
• the development of an Executive Master’s degree in Complex Project Management (EMCPM).

Although the initiative has its roots in the Defence sector, the intention is for the CCPM to share the benefits of the investment across all industry and government sectors, both nationally and internationally.

Role of the College

The CCPM was incorporated as an independent, not-for-profit body in September 2007. While the role of the College is to provide international leadership at the complex end of the project management continuum, it will continue to develop the Competency Standard, establishing a certification capability for the international complex project management community.

The College will work with the international community to fund, facilitate and conduct applied research leading to improvements in complex project management. The potential savings from the improved management of complex projects are significant and can improve the return to organisations, thus culminating in swifter delivery of strategic change objectives or capabilities.

Objects and constitution of the College

The College is an apolitical body and its constitution has as its objects:

• the accreditation of Complex Project Managers, who will use their individual and collective competencies to improve the quality and sustainability of life,
• raising global awareness of, and encouraging the use of, appropriate strategies, contracts and methodologies in the procurement and delivery of complex projects,
• ensuring that complex projects remain strategically aligned to the delivery of value to society,
• increasing the percentage of successfully delivered complex projects internationally,
• maintaining CCPM Competency Standards, to lead the world in the accreditation and application of complex project management,
• providing for Complex Project Managers who are certified as competent, and
• developing the specialist profession of Complex Project Management and the knowledge upon which it is based.

At this early stage, the College has a small international Fellowship of highly credible successful Project Managers with proven track records, who provide an extensive network of highly influential thinkers and opinion formers in the field of managing complex projects.

Strong alliances are being developed with key international Project Management bodies such as the International Project Management Association (IPMA) to work together to further the objects above, and to collaborate on applied research. The Fellows have already been highly influential in supporting the Queensland University of Technology’s development of the EMCPM, commencing in February 2008.

The College’s complex project management competency standard and associated certification framework offers an internationally validated framework to help organisations develop and maintain their competitive edge in delivering the most demanding projects.

Appointment of Mallesons

Mallesons is delighted to announce its recent appointment by the CCPM as the CCPM's sole honorary lawyers internationally. Mallesons has also joined the CCPM as a Corporate Member.

As well as providing a significant level of free legal support, Mallesons’ association with the CCPM will involve its projects lawyers working with the CCPM to develop its proposed model for contracting and project management and the extrapolation of this model to other organisations and across all relevant industries.