Research programme

APM’s research programme aims to advance new and existing knowledge for the project profession. By developing innovative research and sharing its findings, APM helps to promote a profession built around learning and collaboration. In this way, research helps to fulfil APM's chartered objectives.

APM’s research programme covers both academic and business research and comprises several components such as research funding, research collaboration, events and dissemination. APM has a broad range of research activities that are open for you and your organisation to engage with at any one time.

For more information regarding APM research please contact the team or to sign up for the APM research newsletter.

APM Education and Research Awards 2026

The APM Education and Research Awards celebrate outstanding achievement among early-career professionals and academics within the project profession. Featuring a broad range of categories, these Awards highlight emerging talent, recognise the vital contributions of educators, and commend excellence in research. Submit your entry by Tuesday 13 January 2026. 

We are currently recruiting judges for the 2026 Education and Research Awards.  If you meet the criteria, we’d love to hear from you. 

Understanding agile in project management

This report does not present a single definition of agile for the project management community. Rather, we explore existing practice in order to discover whether agile is valuable to project management, and why.

Resolving agency issues in client–contractor relationships

Authors Professor David James Bryde, Dr Christine Unterhitzenberger and Roger Joby, investigate how relational risk is managed in projects delivered by external contractors for clients.

Current research

Learn about our current research and find out who is leading it. 

Published research

View all previously published research including commissioned, collaborative and research fund studies.

Research funding and collaborative research

Find out about opportunities for funding from APM, including the APM Research Fund and larger commissioned studies.

Research summary series

The research summary series plays a key role in helping to disseminate cutting-edge research for practitioners taken from the (IJPM).

Events and collaborations

Supporting relevant research events which seek to advance the current and future understandings of the management of projects.

How research is governed

Find out about APM’s Research Advisory Group, APM’s Academic Review Group and how research is governed at APM.

Student research

Find out how APM supports student research and why not aid student research by participating in relevant surveys.

Thought leadership

APM’s research programme is a part of APM’s wider thought leadership and external affairs activity.