| Project Management Postgraduate Dissertation of the Year

This category recognises outstanding dissertations that demonstrate relevance to the project profession.

The category is open to entrants from all sectors who have completed a masters degree. To be eligible to enter this category the master’s degree must have been awarded and graded in the academic year 2024/2025 (if you are unsure if you qualify in this academic time frame please contact awards@apm.org.uk for clarification before applying, giving details about your academic years/graduation date/university and course). A dissertation may only be entered into this category once. Entrants can be members or non-members of APM, from both in and outside of the UK.

Entries should take the form of a 100-word statement OR a 90 second video (in English) demonstrating how your dissertation is significant to the project profession (including where relevant the Societal Impact in the category criteria below). This must be accompanied by the full dissertation as a PDF document and a letter from the entrant’s supervisor and/or external examiner confirming that the dissertation has been graded (please note copies of grades or certificates will not be accepted).

View the finalists      Book your pass      Winners will be announced 29 April 2026

Congratulations and good luck to all our finalists...

This dissertation explores the impact of leadership styles on value creation within an innovation and project management context. Using interviews and a case study it proposes a systemic hypothesis connecting leadership styles with value creation and innovation categories. It positions leadership as central to value-driven project innovations and develops a model to enhance project leadership and value creation competencies, providing actionable insights for project professionals to design innovation processes from the bottom-up. It illustrates how project leaders can enhance societal impacts at the individual level of customers and employees, and the wider context of the environment, community and innovation system.

This dissertation addresses a significant research gap in project management related to The Gambia. It highlights the influence of mid-level project management maturity on performance in an aid-dependent public sector. It adapts and tests a maturity framework specific to this context, suggesting that global project management models can be effectively tailored for Least Developed Countries.

The study critiques the superficial adoption of project management practices, advocating for genuine internalisation and strengthened capacity. It introduces a seven-dimension diagnostic framework and actionable recommendations to enhance development project delivery and improve public services outcomes for citizens.

Category criteria and weighting

Significance to profession  15%

Research methodology and methodological rigour  25%

• Presents a coherent answer to a clearly defined research question; Demonstrates excellence in the application of the methods and calculations

Demonstration of excellent knowledge and understanding  25%

• Demonstrates understanding of key concepts and frameworks. Draws on a wide range of relevant material and literature whilst demonstrating a good grasp of the key issues. Demonstrates an appreciation of the limitations of relevant material and literature.

Demonstrates ability to apply understanding and knowledge  25%

• Demonstrates thorough knowledge of the application of standard and advanced techniques, and their limitations.

Excellent presentation throughout including exemplary citing/referencing of material/literature used  10%

Societal impact

Where you feel your work has delivered a societal impact, please include this in your submission. Think about what difference you've made outside of your own sphere of influence. This could be for example around the environment, society, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Judges will be putting forward relevant entries to our new Societal Impact Award.