Project Management Skills for Non-management Students from the Perspective of Education for Sustainable Development
Project Management Skills for Non-management Students from the Perspective of Education for Sustainable Development

Author(s): Iryna Skliar, Liudmyla Batsenko
Subject(s): Education, Human Resources in Economy
Published by: Udruženje ekonomista i menadžera Balkana
Keywords: Project management skills; Key competencies for sustainability; Education for sustainable development; Academic standards
Summary/Abstract: Project management skills (PM skills) play an essential role in advancing sustainable development (SD) objectives. Project management as a goal-oriented approach aligns with the SD framework. They provide a structured framework for planning, implementing, and monitoring projects, making them invaluable for advancing Sustainable Development Goals. They support effective stakeholder engagement, risk management, and adaptive approaches, while also fostering cross-cutting competencies that are vital for addressing sustainability challenges in diverse contexts. Project management is crucial in the workplace nowadays, and possessing these skills can significantly enhance students’ employability prospects. This research aims to analyze the coverage of project management skills and competencies in the Ukrainian academic standards and generalize the recommendations for effectively embedding these skills into the curriculum. Methodology. Qualitative content analysis of Ukrainian academic standards developed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. 38 academic standards for master’s contain project management skills. There are challenges with the implementation of the standards in terms of alignment between the standards and the academic programmes, including teaching-learning-assessment practices. Project-based learning and interdisciplinary projects are essential for ESD and PM skills development. Interdisciplinarity is a pillar of ESD and this will open project management concepts and practices for non-management students as they navigate the complexities of team dynamics, task delegation, and project coordination. Mentoring and peer-to-peer learning could be effective tools for ESD and for PM-skills development. Peer learning groups where senior students can guide non-management students in developing project management skills. The mentorship can provide valuable guidance, feedforward, and feedback throughout project-based learning.

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