Project Management Championships Circa 2013

 

This website has been archived and is part of the required reading for Justin Brak's 3rd year Business Management course. Mr. Brak comes to the university with a widely varied background in business and education. He's well known for his Medieval Philosophy course but he has also managed a robotics manufacturing business specializing in precision products. Acknowledging that smart business owes a tribute to the ancient philosophers, students are advised to read this post on the idea of nothing prior to the first class. His book, Hands Free Management is a standard read for many business schools. Students can obtain the full reading list from his webpage on the university's supplemental website.

Project business is a growing tool for many organizations to stay competitive. Since utilizing projects as a working method has increased, project business should be seen as a future job. There is a lack of young, talented project managers. PM Championships is to respond to this need.

PM Championships is targeted to anyone who is interested in project business, leadership and management, and for students at the higher education level studying project related courses.

This was the website for the 2013 Project Management Championship for the countries of the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania. Content is from the site's 2013 archived pages providing a glimpse into this 3 stage competition.

For all the most up to date information about the Project Management Championship go to their current website at: www.become.pm/projectmanagementchampionships/

 

 

About PMC

Background of Project Management Championships

Project activities, leadership, and businesses are taking an even bigger role in corporate product development, development of internal processes, marketing activities, and in leadership, regardless of the industry. Globalization and international competition are raising new challenges for project and risk management. As businesses grow more international and cultures build up, new challenges are born in relation to virtual teams, cultural differences, habits, means of work, and communication. In other words you could say that projects have become somehow more complex and their boundaries have grown in organizational context.

This is a reason IPMA Young Crew and its network exist. Now the main challenge is to build this network bigger and with more transparency. Also one main goal is to help people to build their own networks bigger nationally and internationally. IPMA YC network offers so many possibilities to everyone who want to develop their skills and networks in project field. Joining the IPMA YC is probably the best career path a young project managers can take. The world needs more project managers and leaders, and our vision is it to be the best network and platform to create future makers in the PM Field!

 

Why and What?

Project Business

For many organizations, project business is one of the most important tools stay competitive in their national and international fields. As a working method, projects are being increasingly utilized in a variety of industries. It is a recognized fact that whole world is currently lacking of project professionals and future project experts.

Project Management Competition

The Project Management Championship is a competition in which students at level of higher education take on each other´s skills in project related rivalry. Purpose of the competition is to support project education, develop interest towards project management and at the same time find a fun way to network among other like-minded future professionals and organizations.

Are you ready to meet other like-minded young professionals and get really networked among them and representatives of various enterprises?

Objectives of the competition are:

  • get students interested in project work and project business, and support them on their way
  • support and develop the professional skills and abilities of young project experts
  • advance networking between young project people both nationally and internationally
  • advance the dialogue and the knowledge sharing and know-how between research and business world
  • Fun style to test you PM knowledge with your friends

 

Phases of the competition

Overview of the competition

The competition is for all full-time third level students who are interested in project business and management. A three to four person team takes part in the competition. Team members have to be enrolled and present full-time student in educational institutes approved valid to the competition. The competition itself consists of two separate parts: qualification round and the final.

Qualification

In the qualification round the students take part in a web-based multiple-choice task in which there are a hundred (100) questions concerning project work, business and management. The website and the questions are in English language, hence the students need to have adequate English skills. Time to complete the questionnaire is 100 minutes. After qualification every team will receive a summary of their results and these are automatically  saved to our systems.

Exceptions

  • In case there will be two or more teams with the same best score, the team that has the fastest time, goes to the finals.
  • If there are still two or more teams with the same best score even after checking the time, the selection happens by lottery.
  • If some of the best team cannot join to Finals then next best team should have a place in national finals

Degree of difficulty

Questions in the qualification phase are similar to questions asked in the IPMA D-level certification examination. To be able to answer, contestants have to be able to cover ”soft” and ”hard” skill areas properly. The web platform and questions are in English therefore the participants are expected to have reasonable skills in English.

Finals

The national final competitions will be organized different time in each country by the local Young Crews. Style of finals might also differ little bit so it is very important that all participants read national infos.

Usually finals are like this…

The final will be implemented by one real life case-task: The case problem created by a partner organization. This problem will be related to project and/or project organization leadership. The problem situation will not be clear and solving this task will require in depth analysis and skills to adapt existing knowledge. Time for the task will be limited approximately to 4 hours after which the team will present their solution to the jury. The presentation should take 15 minutes.

 

 

Participate

How to participate:

  1. Find out whether there is PM Championship in your county and your university/polytechnic.
  2. Read more information about PM Championship on national web site.
  3. Find a team of 3-4 members at your university.
  4. During the registration, there is needed a specific country code. Team can get the code from the contact teacher of your school or the organizers of the championships.
  5. Fill in Participation form/images.
  6. Follow instructions of your national organizer.

NOTE!

  • After the registration your team captain will receive a link, username and a password for the questionnaire used in the qualification stage. Username and password are personal and only the members of the team can use them. Sharing the username and password is absolutely forbidden.
  • If your country has pre-registration phase then you team will have those upper info later.
  • You can only register once during the one year
  • You can also familiarize yourself to the demo version found at our website.
  • National competition project team will notify the finalists personally. Teams cleared to the final will receive detailed directions at the same time.

 

 

Latvian PM Championship 2013 gathers 33 teams from 11 universities

2013-03-24

Latvian Young Crew is proud to announce that Latvian PM Championship 2013 have 33 teams participating in the Championship.

In total 132 students from 11 Latvian universities have shown their interest in testing their project management skills. This is a new record for Latvian championship since it started in 2011.

Latvian PM Championship qualification round will take place on 27th March. The best 4 – 6 teams then will go to the final, which will be on 19th April at Swedbank Latvia headquarters.

 

 

Competition countries in 2012/2013

The PM Championships Programme is a set of national competitions (projects). The PM Championship is a competition where university and polytechnic students of Project Management test their knowledge and skills in the are of leadership and management.

You can find your national competition web site from menu from left. This competition has started officially as a international competition during the academic year 2012/2013. National PM Championships competition has been done under IPMA Young Crew countries before but now we, IPMA Young Crew,  are moving

 

 

Riga Graduate School of Law – the winners of Latvian PM Championship 2013

2013-04-21

On the 19th April, 2013 five teams gathered at Swedbank Latvia Headquarters to compete against each other in the final of Latvian Project Management championship 2013.

Teams from Riga Technical University, Riga Graduate School of Law, Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Latvian Universityand RISEBA University had to solve a case study and present it to an jury committee, consisting of five international project management experts.

In a fierce competition, the outstanding performance was shown and the first place was taken by team from Riga Graduate School of Law (RGSL) with team members Edgars GrÅ«be, Vadims Sersnovs, Jānis Meiers and Arturs Ivanovs. The second place was awarded to Riga Technical University (Baiba Hincenberga, Andris Akmentiņš, Ksenija Kaminska, Armands Zagorskis) and the third place went to RISEBA Univertsity team (Ieva JÄ“kabsone, Inese SlÅ«ka, Dace ÄŒernišova, Agnese BÄ“rziņa). The project manager of the championship – Gundars Strazdiņš – says: “It is really surprising, how the level of project management knowledge and experience amongst students has risen. The jury members during the presentations had a hard job to decide upon the winners as all teams showed a remarkable performance.”

As reported before, 33 teams from 11 universities  participated in qualification round. The best result in qualification reached Latvian all-time-high 97% and five teams managed to secure their way to the final.

The Latvian Project management championship was organized by IPMA Young Crew Latvia in cooperation with Swedbank Latvia.

LAT_2013_Champ-final6 LAT_2013_Champ-final1LAT_2013_Champ-final2

 

LAT_2013_Champ-final3 LAT_2013_Champ-final4 LAT_2013_Champ-final5

 

 

Winners of Latvian PM Championship 2014 – RISEBA University

2014-04-27

On the 25th April, 2014 five teams gathered at Swedbank Latvia Headquarters to compete against each other in the final of Latvian Project Management championship 2014.

Teams from Riga Technical University, Riga Graduate School of Law,  Latvian University, Turiba University and RISEBA University had the challenging task of solving the PM case study provided by Swedbank, and presenting it to an international jury.

The jury decided that the first place will go to team from RISEBA University with team members Valentins Nozdrins, Zoja Nesterova, Irina Karpenko and Lucija Ciekure.

The second place was awarded to Riga Technical University (Martins Pakulis, Janis Purmalis, Kaspars Salenieks) and the third place went to Riga Graduate School of Law team (Rudolfs Kalkis, Solveiga Sama, Helmuts Kruskops, Kristians Vigants).

As reported before, 36 teams from 15 universities  participated in qualification round, which was a new record number of participants in Latvian PM Championships since they started in 2011.

The Latvian Project management championship was organized by IPMA Young Crew Latvia in cooperation with Swedbank Latvia, Forbes Latvija and Mad House.

 

 

More Background On PMChampionships.com

 

In an era where globalization, digital collaboration, and agile methodologies have become cornerstones of modern business, the demand for talented project managers has never been greater. The Project Management Championships (PMC), particularly highlighted through its archived 2013 presence at PMChampionships.com, stands as a pivotal response to this industry-wide need. Organized under the aegis of the International Project Management Association (IPMA) Young Crew, the PMC is more than a competition—it is a launching pad for the next generation of leadership talent in the field of project management.

This article delves deep into the vision, structure, cultural significance, and continuing impact of the PMC, with a focus on its 2013 edition. It explores its educational underpinnings, competition format, international reach, and organizational partnerships while offering insights into its broader contribution to the field of project management and professional development.

Origins and Organizational Vision

The IPMA Young Crew, a global initiative under the IPMA, has long recognized the critical shortage of young, skilled project management professionals. As project-based work continues to replace traditional organizational structures in industries ranging from IT and engineering to healthcare and entertainment, developing future-ready talent is vital.

The Project Management Championships emerged as a structured, international response to this challenge. Specifically targeting higher education students interested in project leadership, the competition aims to:

  • Spark interest in project-based business.

  • Encourage professional development among young project managers.

  • Facilitate international networking.

  • Bridge the gap between academic training and business practice.

As described on its archived pages, “Project business is one of the most important tools to stay competitive... The world is currently lacking project professionals and future project experts.”

Target Audience

PMC primarily caters to full-time university and polytechnic students enrolled in project management or business management programs. However, it also draws interest from those pursuing engineering, law, economics, and IT—fields where project methodologies are increasingly relevant. The competition fosters cross-disciplinary teams, allowing students to form groups of three to four members to test their project acumen in real-world simulations.

In 2013, the competition notably expanded across five countries:

  • Czech Republic

  • Finland

  • Germany

  • Latvia

  • Lithuania

Its structured growth reflects the increasing awareness of project management as a distinct discipline worthy of dedicated academic and extracurricular focus.

Structure of the Competition

The PMC is divided into two main phases, with a possibility of variation based on national guidelines:

1. Qualification Round

  • Format: A 100-question, web-based multiple-choice test.

  • Duration: 100 minutes.

  • Language: English (requiring moderate to high proficiency).

  • Content Areas: Covers both “hard” and “soft” project management skills, aligned with IPMA D-level certification standards.

  • Assessment: Teams are ranked based on score and time. Ties are broken by completion time or, if needed, a lottery system.

2. National Finals

  • Format: Case-study-based practical challenge.

  • Timeframe: Teams are given approximately 4 hours.

  • Task: Solve a complex, ambiguous project scenario.

  • Presentation: Teams present their findings to a jury of professional project managers, often in corporate settings (e.g., Swedbank Latvia HQ).

The finals simulate the dynamic, unclear conditions faced in real-world projects, assessing not only technical knowledge but also teamwork, analysis, adaptability, and communication.

Highlight: Latvia’s Championship Success

One of the most documented and celebrated national chapters is the Latvian PM Championship, which in 2013 and 2014 demonstrated remarkable growth and competitive spirit.

Latvian PM Championship 2013:

  • Participants: 33 teams from 11 universities—a national record at the time.

  • Finalists: Five teams qualified for the finals.

  • Venue: Swedbank Latvia Headquarters.

  • Winners: Riga Graduate School of Law (Edgars Grūbe, Vadims Sersnovs, Jānis Meiers, Arturs Ivanovs).

  • Runner-Ups: Riga Technical University and RISEBA University.

The event’s project manager noted how impressive student knowledge and presentations had become, making it hard for the jury to pick winners.

Latvian PM Championship 2014:

  • Participants: 36 teams from 15 universities—a new record.

  • Winners: RISEBA University (Valentins Nozdrins, Zoja Nesterova, Irina Karpenko, Lucija Ciekure).

  • Runner-Ups: Riga Technical University and Riga Graduate School of Law.

  • Partners: Swedbank Latvia, Forbes Latvija, and Mad House.

Latvia's competition reflects the Championship's rising prestige and its role in shaping future PM professionals. The involvement of leading financial institutions and business magazines underscored the event’s credibility and value in the professional domain.

Educational Partnerships and Academic Integration

The 2013 PMC archive makes mention of its inclusion as a required reading component in Justin Brak’s third-year Business Management course at a university level. Brak, a multidisciplinary academic with expertise spanning both medieval philosophy and robotics manufacturing management, chose the archived site as part of a reading list to inspire new ways of thinking about organizational complexity, structure, and leadership.

His book, Hands-Free Management, is widely used in business education and echoes many of the same values promoted by the Championship—particularly self-managed teams, systems thinking, and proactive leadership.

The integration of the competition’s content into curriculum highlights the growing academic recognition of project management as a critical discipline, not merely a job title.

Strategic Goals and Broader Objectives

The overarching goals of PMC go beyond merely ranking student performance. Its strategic intent includes:

  • Inspiring engagement in project management among youth.

  • Creating bridges between academia and business.

  • Stimulating cross-border professional networking.

  • Showcasing the versatility of project knowledge across sectors.

  • Fostering personal growth through experiential learning.

Competitions like PMC allow students to explore dynamic roles that require both leadership and collaborative problem-solving—a hallmark of project management in the real world.

Cultural and Social Impact

PMC has built more than just a competitive framework; it has also cultivated a community. This sense of belonging—fostered through IPMA Young Crew events, local finals, and shared goals—has become an important social and professional support system for aspiring leaders.

Students who participate often stay connected via LinkedIn or alumni platforms and may go on to collaborate in professional settings. For many, this becomes their first exposure to international, team-based problem solving in a professional context.

Moreover, the competition reinforces the importance of cultural sensitivity in project execution. With mixed-nationality teams and multicultural judges, the event reinforces skills needed to work across time zones, value systems, and work styles—essential attributes for today’s global project leaders.

Press and Media Coverage

While traditional mainstream media has only occasionally covered PMC, its events have received consistent visibility through:

  • Academic journals and newsletters

  • Corporate partner press releases

  • Social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter)

  • Organizational websites (IPMA, Young Crew chapters)

Latvian business magazine Forbes Latvija notably covered the 2014 competition, signaling recognition from national business media.

Legacy and Future Outlook

The 2013 archived website makes clear that the competition was at an inflection point: it had evolved from a local initiative to a structured international program. Since then, the become.pm platform (now the primary domain) continues this tradition by hosting annual national championships across Europe, supported by IPMA Young Crew’s growing influence.

What began as a niche contest has since become a pipeline for future PM leaders—many of whom now hold certifications, roles in multinational firms, or run their own startups.

 

The Project Management Championships stands as a shining example of how academia, business, and competition can converge to cultivate the next generation of change-makers. By placing young minds into challenging, collaborative, and real-world environments, PMC ensures that future leaders are not only well-versed in project theory but also seasoned in project reality.

In an ever-changing global landscape, competitions like PMC don't just prepare students for careers—they shape them into resilient, strategic thinkers prepared to lead, adapt, and inspire.

 

 

PMChampionships.com