Get a Global Edge in International Project Management with edX's Specialized Course

Atharva Hiswankar

07 June 2023

Add To Wishlist

Course Overview

International Project Management by edX addresses the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to successfully manage projects that span organizations, national boundaries, and cultural differences. In this course, the learners get to explore the impact of culture, language variations, regulatory and legal practices, technology penetration, corruption, ethics, personal liberty, and political contexts on project management.

They learn how to meet global project challenges through efficient use of practices and technology. The course utilizes available case studies and examples from companies to help students sharpen the skills needed to recognize and foster a successful international project environment.

First, you will learn how culture affects the way teams perceive each other, lead, solve problems and execute tasks. Although the world is increasingly connected, the people behind the projects have biases, expectations, and a perception of life that impacts all decisions.

Second, you will learn how to effectively manage global teams including how to build trust and collaboration across various cultures, time zones, and technological settings. You will learn how to effectively design communication channels and project structures in a global project environment.

Third, you will become familiar with the issues underlying the problem of corruption, which is the abuse of power for private gain. Reducing the risk of corruption strengthens a company's reputation, builds the respect of employees, and raises credibility with key stakeholders.

Finally, you will learn how the adoption of collaboration tools can enhance the global project experience.

"The collaborative study required by the course needs explicit application of multiple project management concepts. It is a treat to operate these concepts one at a time and solve the case studies."

- Atharva Hiswankar

Course Structure

This online certification program is an advanced-level course. It is self-paced, mainly keeping in mind working professionals. It is spread over 9 weeks and requires an effort of 12 hours per week. Some of the critical areas you cover in this curriculum include Project Leadership, Management Theory, Project Planning, Project Budget, Management Theory, etc.

This course is part of the larger RIT Project Management MicroMasters Program that is designed to teach how to deliver projects successfully in an international environment. In order to qualify for the MicroMasters Credential, you will need to earn a verified certificate in each of the 3 courses as well as pass a Capstone exam.

The curriculum starts by providing an understanding of ‘Project Management’ and helps you get familiar with quantitative approaches to understand a new cultural situation. You need to maintain a Cultural Intelligence Organizer, which is provided in the coursework to create your own information source and analyze the data to solve the project management situations. You will learn to improve communication, build trust, and evaluate leadership qualities based on cross-cultural interactions.

In the second half of the coursework, you will come across situations to solve conflicts and build around work ethics and learn to use tools to keep up with the ever-changing project management scenario. Learners get access to high-quality recorded content and practice assignments given at the start of every week during the program. There are no set deadlines or instructional schedules, which means learners may learn quickly. The program merit certificate is given to the learners who complete the course successfully.

Technically, the course is spread over 3 modules, namely:

Module 1: Understanding the Impact of Culture on Multiple Aspects of a Project

Module 2: Managing Global Teams and Building Trust

Module 3: Setting up an Efficient Global Collaboration Framework

Insider Tips

To get the best out of this course, I have included some important tips below that I think you might find useful:

Take Quizzes and Complete Assignments Sincerely

Quizzes and assignments are mainly in the form of case studies. So, to make sense for you to understand Project Management, attempt the quizzes religiously. The Cultural Intelligence Organizer has enough data to support you through the quizzes and assignments.
The final assessment is a collaborative study and needs explicit application of multiple project management concepts. It is a treat to operate these concepts one at a time and solve the case studies.

Follow Cultural Intelligence Organizer Religiously

The Cultural Intelligence Organizer is a customized template provided by edX for you to gather data as you proceed with the coursework. This data input is based on the quantitative approach given by Hofstede, Trompenaars, and Meyer, which you will study in the initial part of the course.
Later on, when you fill the cultural intelligence organizer, you will be able to analyze complex situations around you and understand questions like -- Why a particular person coming from a particular background has taken a certain stance in a complex situation? How does a country's history shape its future? etc.

Applications of Learning

The first half of the course work will aid you in understanding the cross-cultural approach and may need you to change your current approach to handle a multi-cultural situation in an international setting. The data about certain countries is given in the course work, you just need to maintain it in the cultural intelligence organizer, but you can use the internet to gather similar data about the culture of your interest.

The second half of the coursework will teach you concepts such as conflict resolution and coaching, building work ethics, and reducing corruption. These concepts can be put to use in your daily routine. Try and analyze small situations from a management point of view (as learned in the course). This will help you filter out non-productive tasks at work and focus your time and energy towards productive tasks.

The Project Management Office (PMO) of your organization plays an important role here, you will learn why a PMO is structured in a certain way as it is, and if you happen to be on one of the teams in PMO, you can suggest a few changes and implement them effectively.

Final Take

Currently, I am working as a Project Engineer at Elegant Coating. The course has given me the confidence to tackle the many management challenges that may come my way!

Key Takeaways

Explore the impact of various factors like culture, language variations, regulatory and legal practices, technology penetration, corruption, ethics, etc., on project management.

Access to a Cultural Intelligence Organizer to create your own information source and analyze the data to solve the project management situations.

Cover topics like Project Leadership, Management Theory, Project Planning, Project Budget, Management Theory, etc.

Learn to use tools to keep up with the ever changing project management scenario.

Learn by solving real-life study cases.