WHERE PROJECT MANAGERS CAN GO TO DEVELOP THEIR SOFT SKILLS: A CURRICULUM MAPPING OF UNIVERSITY COURSES IN THE US, EUROPE AND CHINA AGAINST THE ACADEMIC LITERATURE AND IPMA’S ICB4.0

Abstract

This research explores where project management practitioners can go to develop their soft skills. The academic research is presented and then summarised to identify the core soft skills needed for success (ICB4.0+). We then mapped the course offerings of top universities such as Harvard University, Oxford University and Tsinghua University against these core soft skills. We conclude that very few universities offer courses that develop the soft skills needed for project success. The practical implications of this research are that: The findings will guide project management practitioners on where they can go to develop the soft skills that are critical to project success. The newly developed ICB4.0+ may guide the development of project management education programs and may lead to practitioners actually being taught what they need to succeed. Further research is recommended to validate the mapping of university courses against the ICB4.0+ competencies.