Oxford Leading
Strategic Projects
Programme
6 weeks. Online.
Discover techniques for leading project teams to successful
project delivery.
About this programme
The dynamic nature of the modern business environment means traditional project management metrics
such as time, cost and scope are no longer sufficient to gauge success. To create long-term sustainable
value for organisations, a strategic approach and shift towards project leadership is required.
The Oxford Leading Strategic Projects Programme teaches project leaders how to utilise strategic
approaches in project delivery to achieve organisation-wide success. Over the course of six weeks, you’ll
discover the benefits of strategic project leadership and equip yourself with the tools needed to implement
upfront planning to respond to potential business risks, complexities and uncertainties.
What the programme covers
The curriculum is unique in its approach to
£2,200
strategic project leadership, allowing you to
navigate the uncertainties of an evolving business
landscape in order to increase operational
efficiency and achieve business-wide goals. 6 weeks
You’ll investigate the value and complexities of excluding orientation
strategic project leadership, and discover how
to redefine measures of success for a strategic
7–10 hours/week
project. You’ll learn how to respond to common
of self-paced learning,
challenges of scale and pace, dealing with
entirely online
people, power, and politics, as well as uncertainty
and change. By the end of the programme, you’ll Each module is released weekly, allowing a flexible but structured
approach to learning. You’ll be supported as you engage in
refine your personal leadership skills to ensure
individual activities and group discussions, ensuring you feel
success in leading strategic project teams. confident to submit your best work at each weekly deadline.
According to PWC, 41 per cent
of an organisation’s projects
fail to deliver successfully.*
This highlights the need to move
beyond traditional practices
to drive project success.
*PWC (2018).
OXFORD LEADING STRATEGIC PROJECTS PROGRAMME
This programme is for you
if you want to:
Go beyond traditional project Be empowered to lead
management and develop a set of teams through the potential
leadership principles tailored for challenges of scale, pace,
effective strategic project delivery and managing people, power
to achieve business objectives. and politics.
Develop skills to assess risks, Study alongside, and collaborate
capitalise on opportunities, with, an international cohort of
and navigate successfully professionals, industry experts and
through uncertainty. faculty from Saïd Business School,
University of Oxford.
Who should take this programme?
This programme is designed for professionals seeking to introduce strategic approaches and techniques
for project leadership, to create a more sustainable environment for project success, and improve their
ability to achieve organisation-wide objectives.
Anyone in a senior strategic position or working within a project environment will benefit from the
skills and knowledge shared in this programme. Managers will improve the success of their projects by
learning a more strategic approach, while business and operations professionals will understand how
to effectively implement strategic projects they’re responsible for. Professionals will also improve their
leadership skills to manage project teams and strategic initiatives more effectively.
OXFORD LEADING STRATEGIC PROJECTS PROGRAMME
How you’ll learn
WHAT IS OXFORD?
This online programme integrates rich, interactive media such as
videos, infographics, and e-learning activities, as well as traditional Learn more about
didactic components such as written study guides (programme OXFORD
notes). There are also opportunities for collaborative learning through
UNIVERSITY
discussion forums. The following modules contribute to the holistic
approach your learning path takes:
ORIENTATION MODULE
Welcome to your Online Campus
One week
You’ll be welcomed to the programme and begin connecting with fellow
participants, while exploring the navigation and tools of your Online
Campus. Be alerted to key milestones in the learning path, and review
how your results will be calculated and distributed. You’ll be required to
complete your participant profile, confirm your certificate delivery
address, and submit a digital copy of your passport/identity document.
MODULE 1
Strategic projects: understanding
the complexities and risks
Reflect on the value of strategic project leadership and determine
the complexities inherent in leading strategic projects.
• Discuss risks and opportunities of effective project leadership
in organisations
• Review the foundational concepts of strategic project leadership
• Illustrate the role that leaders play in strategic projects
• Determine the structural, sociopolitical, and emergent complexities
of a specific strategic project
MODULE 2
Reinterpreting success and performance
in strategic projects
Re-evaluate the definition of success for strategic projects
and the role of leadership in determining performance.
• Outline the benefits and limitations of the ‘Iron Triangle’ in
assessing the success and performance of complex projects
• Analyse ‘complementarities’, ‘optimisers’, ‘givens’,
and ‘trade-offs’ for a project in a given context
• Interpret the role of the leader further, and define what success
means for a project
• Investigate strategic projects as a service
• Analyse what performance and success mean within the context
of a specific strategic project
OXFORD LEADING STRATEGIC PROJECTS PROGRAMME
WHAT IS OXFORD SAID?
MODULE 3
Structural complexities: responding Learn more about
to the challenges of scale and pace
SAID BUSINESS
Learn about the complexities of scale and pace in strategic
SCHOOL,
projects, and explore techniques to address these
challenges effectively. UNIVERSITY OF
• Articulate the causes and effects of structural complexities OXFORD
in a strategic project
• Analyse structural complexities in a particular project
• Evaluate reduction and response actions to structural complexities
MODULE 4
Sociopolitical complexities: responding to
the challenges of power, people and politics
Learn about the challenges faced when dealing with
the various complexities of people, power, and politics
in strategic projects.
• Articulate the causes and effects of sociopolitical complexities
• Analyse sociopolitical complexities in a particular project
• Evaluate reduction and response actions to
sociopolitical complexities
MODULE 5
Emergent complexities: responding to
the challenges of uncertainty and change
Learn about the complexities of uncertainty and change,
and how to address these in strategic projects.
• Articulate the causes and effects of emergent complexities
• Analyse emergent complexities in a particular project
• Evaluate reduction and response actions to emergent complexities
MODULE 6
Success by design
Developing principles and practices for leading
strategic projects.
• Synthesise the relationship and interplay between complexities
and potential responses
• Debate ‘fit purpose selections’ of leaders and team members
• Reflect on the multiple ways in which leaders both control and
influence strategic projects
• Construct a model for your own leadership of strategic projects
OXFORD LEADING STRATEGIC PROJECTS PROGRAMME
Your Programme Experts
Your Programme Co-Convenors
These subject matter experts from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford guide the programme
design and appear in a number of programme videos, along with a variety of industry professionals.
Harvey Maylor Alexander Budzier
Associate Professor in Fellow in Management Practice in the
Management Practice Field of Information Systems, Saïd
Business School, University of Oxford
Harvey is a specialist in major projects and Alexander develops and teaches courses
organisational project capability. At Oxford, he is a on project and programme management, risk
programme director of the Major Projects Leadership management, and systems thinking. At Oxford Saïd
Academy (MPLA), for leaders of the UK government’s he is part of the faculty teaching on the Oxford
140 most significant projects, and teaches on the MBA, the MSc for Major Programme Management,
MSc in Major Programme Management. and the Major Projects Leadership Academy.
Harvey’s research focuses on systems of work, Having completed his doctorate degree with
and the interface between formal systems and the School in 2014, his research focuses on the
behaviours. He also works as a consultant to major challenges of managing projects in the field of IT,
corporations including Shell, Airbus and UBS. as well as in hard and soft infrastructure, energy,
mega events, and organisational change.
His books include Project Management1 and
Researching Business and Management.2
1
4th edition (2010) Prentice Hall. The 5th edition is due for release in 2020.
2
2nd edition (2017) Palgrave Macmillan.
Your Success Team
GetSmarter, with whom Saïd Business School, University of Oxford is collaborating to deliver
this online programme, provide a personalised approach to online education which ensures
you’re supported throughout your learning journey.
Head Tutor Success Manager Global Success Team
A subject expert Your one-on-one support available Available 24/7 to solve
who’ll guide you during university hours (8am–5pm your tech-related and
through content-related BST) to resolve technical and administrative queries
challenges. administrative challenges. and concerns.
OXFORD LEADING STRATEGIC PROJECTS PROGRAMME
A powerful collaboration
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford is collaborating with digital education provider GetSmarter,
a brand of 2U, Inc., to create a new class of learning experience – one that is immersive, collaborative,
and designed for optimal accessibility for the busy working professional.
About Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Saïd Business School blends the best of new and old. Deeply embedded in the 800-year-old world-class
university, Oxford Saïd strives to use business acumen and global networks to address long-horizon
phenomena like demographic change, new technologies and natural resource scarcity.1 Oxford Saïd is
committed to delivering cutting-edge education and groundbreaking research that transforms individuals,
organisations, business practice and society.
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford certificate of attendance
Upon successful completion of the programme, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance from Oxford Saïd
as powerful proof of your strategic project leadership skills.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be
issued with a Saïd Business School, University of Oxford certificate of attendance you will need to meet
the requirements outlined in the programme handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as
soon as you begin the programme.
Your certificate of attendance will be issued in your legal name and couriered to you at no additional cost. All certificate
images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of the University.
1
Oxford University (Jan, 2019).
What is GetSmarter?
GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc.,
partners with the world’s leading
universities to select, design
and deliver premium online
programmes with a data-driven
focus on learning gain.
Technology meets academic rigour
in our people-mediated model
which enables lifelong learners
across the globe to obtain industry-
relevant skills that are certified
by the world’s most reputable
academic institutions.
OXFORD LEADING STRATEGIC PROJECTS PROGRAMME
How you’ll learn
Every programme is broken down into you full access to certain programme content,
manageable, weekly modules, designed such as interactive infographics. However, you’ll
to accelerate your learning process through still have access to this content in the form of a
diverse learning activities: downloadable PDF transcript if you’d prefer not
to use Flash.
• Work through your downloadable and online
Browser requirements
instructional material
We recommend that you use Google Chrome as
• Interact with your peers and learning facilitators
your internet browser when accessing the Online
through weekly class-wide forums and reviewed
Campus. Although this is not a requirement,
small group discussions
we have found that this browser performs best
• Enjoy a wide range of interactive content,
for ease of access to programme material.
including video lectures, infographics, live polls,
This browser can be downloaded here.
and more
• Investigate
rich, real-world case studies Additional requirements
• Apply what you learn each week to quizzes Certain programmes may require additional
and ongoing project submissions, culminating software and resources. These additional
in your own, tailored leadership model to make software and resource requirements will be
you a more effective strategic project leader communicated to you upon registration and/or
at the beginning of the programme. Please note
Technical requirements that Google, Vimeo, and YouTube may be used
Basic requirements in our programme delivery, and if these services
In order to complete a programme, you’ll need are blocked in your jurisdiction, you may have
a current email account and access to a computer difficulty in accessing programme content.
and the internet, as well as a PDF Reader. You may Please check with a Programme Consultant
need to view Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, before registering for this programme if you have
and read and create documents in Microsoft Word any concerns about this affecting your experience
or Excel. Installing Adobe Flash Player will give with the Online Campus.
OXFORD LEADING STRATEGIC PROJECTS PROGRAMME
Oxford Leading
Strategic Projects
Programme
6 weeks. Online.
Navigate the complexities of delivering successful projects.
REGISTER NOW
CONTACT US
+44 1865 950 945
[email protected]
