Vision:

Major public investment projects should be funded only if their net benefits to society is certain and their long-term negative impacts will be minor.

Goal:

Appropriate choice of conceptual solutions, better use of resources, and enhanced effects of major public investment projects.

Our research activities are divided into four areas

1. Developing the QA scheme: We assist the Ministry of Finance in acquiring experience with projects under the QA scheme and to assess the effects of the quality assurance scheme. This includes to develop tools and methodology, and perform independent appraisals and evaluations.

2. Communication and networking: Our prime target group comprises individuals in ministries, government agencies, QA consultants, researchers, and the media. We build and maintain networks, organize courses and workshops, produce handbooks, attend international and national conferences and publish a newsletter four times per year.

3. Research, education, and internationalization: While project management is a mature profession, front-end management is still in an early stage of development. The former is about the project itself, the latter about the project in society, and hence less technical/management and more economy/social science. This is where the most important decisions are made. The Concept is in the forefront in this field of research. International cooperation is a concern. We shall publish internationally, an host an international symposium on project governance every second year.

4. Collection of empirical data from major public investment projects: The basis for research is empirical data from projects that undergo external quality assurance under the QA scheme. Data are saved and stored in the database Trailbase, and represents wealth of information of increasing significance and value.

More about our research activities here.