CURRICULUM
CORE COURSES
Project Management Course Description:
The course deals with the study and practical training of project management through the integrated study of a project from inception to completion. Initially, the knowledge areas, methodologies and approaches for project evaluation and selection among candidate projects are presented, and the necessity to align the project management objectives with the strategy of an organization are highlighted. Then, a step-by-step presentation of an integrated project plan, is presented, which contains the project charter, the analytic documentation of the project scope, the entire time management aspects, the budget development, the staffing plan and the risk response planning. In each of the course sections, specific techniques and global standards are presented, which corroborate the proper project plan development and provide reliable quantitative indices to support monitoring of the physical and financial progress of a project. The entirety of the course is strongly oriented towards practical application and is thus enriched with pragmatic case studies and representative examples from the Greek and international projects reality.
Objectives:
- Learning the basic concepts, methodologies and techniques of modern project management
- Understanding the necessity of aligning project management with the strategy, values and targets of an organization as well as the feeling of the multidimensional impact that projects have on the context they are executed in
- Developing the perception and critical thought for projects that have been or about to be executed and acquiring coherent evaluation criteria for these projects
- Getting acquainted with the most widely spread and globally accepted techniques and standards that facilitate project management and formulate a common international language of communication in these subjects
- Encouraging further reading and investigation of this interdisciplinary subject and developing the motivation for professional involvement
Human Resource Management Human resource management is a critical factor in the success of individual employees, organizational departments, units, and work groups, as well as the entire organization. In this context, the course aims at enhancing the understanding and practical application of management concepts related to the selection, evaluation, training and development of employees in contemporary organizations. Furthermore, best practices in motivation, job performance, conflict management, leadership behaviors and organizational structures, are examined using recent literature, case studies, videos, as well as scenario analysis and problem solving exercises.
Operations Cost Analysis Subject of the Course:
The subject of the course is the acquisition of Knowledge and skills in the application of the modern methodology of Activity Based Costing (ABC) to the processes of a company. ABC was originally developed to solve the problem that many managers could perceive through their experience but could not demonstrate through traditional costing systems. Today, ABC systems are recognized as the most modern (state-of-the-art) cost control technique, finding application in a wide range of activities and businesses worldwide.
Course Objectives:
The aim is to:
- Make students familiar with the basic concepts of Activity Based Costing methodology.
- Learn and be able to operate a powerful and integrated decision support system which will be based on ABC method as it is applied with its principles.
- Understand that the smooth operation, development and above all the profitability of the business depends on the acquisition and retention of satisfied customers and on the accurate measurement and allocation of costs.
Innovation Management and Product Development The objective of the course is to introduce students to the concepts of technology and innovation so that they understand their fundamental role in product development. In addition, it introduces students to the modern principles, methods and practices of developing innovative products. Most of the principles examined relate mainly to physical products but can also be applied to the development of services or software products. Particular emphasis is placed on recording the customer’s needs and converting them into product design & development specifications. The course covers the main phases of the product development process, such as: planning product development projects, identifying user needs, generating product ideas, selecting the best idea to develop, economic analysis, concept testing, and designing for the environment. During the weekly lectures, relevant case studies are presented and analyzed, while students are asked to carry out specific tasks that cover the main topics examined within the course.
Personal Skills Development The development of “soft skills” is a critical success factor across all domains and markets of the current business environment. In this context, the introductory seminars in Personal Skills Development will help students to improve their communication and presentation skills, as well as build teamwork, creativity, negotiation and leadership skills using experiential activities such as business games, team building exercises, self-assessment tests, role-playing exercises, simulations etc.
ELECTIVE COURSES
Managing Knowledge and Organizational Change How do organizations create new knowledge and change to respond to the rapidly shifting business environment? The main objective of the course is to understand and apply the concepts and management practices needed for the effective acquisition, processing, and use of knowledge resources in a way that allows companies to “learn” and renew their portfolio of products and services. In addition, the processes, the different management models, as well as the challenges that companies often face when introducing and implementing organizational changes will be analyzed using related literature, case studies, videos, as well as resource and process mapping tools.
Supply Chain Management Course Description:
Supply Chain Management is the management of the acquisition, transformation and delivery processes that enable and direct the flows of products and services – as well as the supporting reciprocal flows of information and funds – along a chain leading from the sources of the original inputs up to the end customers, all aimed at achieving the best possible customer service at the lowest possible cost.
Objectives of the Course:
Obtaining skills and up-to-date knowledge on basic areas pertaining to Supply Chain Management. Course participants, irrespective of their future careers, will be familiar will basic concepts of logistics and will understand the significant impact of supply chain management on financial performance and viability of an enterprise.
CORE COURSES
Project Planning and Control Course description:
This course accompanies and complements the “Project Management” course through the instruction of the MS Project 2013, 2016 & 2019 software. The working environment, the options and adaptations of the software are presented. Moreover, the main actions that one has to apply to properly model a project, such as, plan breakdown, scheduling ad financial planning, optimization, tracking, and reporting, are all covered in this course. The main aim of the course is to present a methodological framework to select, develop, execute and track projects and to learn through practical examples, one of the most popular PM information systems.
Objectives:
Upon completion of the course the students will be able to:
- Properly organize their work using efficient project management techniques
- Optimize their project plans in terms of schedule, cost, and resources
- Organize efficient communication structures and produce competent and rigorous reports
- Monitor and control the physical and economic progress of the project
- Track and evaluate the project health
Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship Why some organizations succeed while others fail? Which strategic choices lead to high competitiveness and how do new business ventures develop? The course aims at enhancing the understanding and practical application of the processes that underlie the formulation and implementation of business strategies that allow organizations to achieve competitive advantage and high performance. In this context, current issues of corporate and competitive strategies are examined (e.g., internationalization, innovation and ambidexterity strategies, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions) as well as the best practices regarding entrepreneurial activities of start-ups and incumbents using recent literature, case studies, videos, as well as business models tools.
Financial Management Course Description:
This course offers up-to-date information and compelling insights into the finance of energy. It focuses on a range of topics including corporate finance relevant to energy. This course provides participants with an in-depth understanding of energy finance by addressing three areas of finance in an energy context: financing, investment appraisal and asset valuation. The presentation is focused on developed markets, such as those of US and Europe, but reference is also made to emerging markets and the Greek markets.
Objectives of the course:
The objective of the course is to provide the basis for an understanding of finance and accounting within the context of technical principles that apply specifically to energy projects. On completing the course the participants will:
- Understand the key issues affecting corporate finance decisions.
- Prepare a capital budget
- Identify the suitable sources of finance in order to create the optimal finance mix for their energy/environmental project
- Evaluate capital investment projects using different methodologies
- Appreciate the various perspectives of the various parties involved in complex transactions
- Real-life practice through carefully selected case studies
Quality and Risk Management Quality risk and management is highly important for the assurance of the expected results from a project and the management of uncertainty.
The 1st part of the course aims at introducing postgraduate students in the field of project risk management for the complete lifecycle of small, medium and large-scale projects. Furthermore, it provides students with in-depth understanding of fundamental methodologies and IT tools which support decision-making in the areas of project risk identification, evaluation, planning and monitoring.
The 2nd part of the course aims at introducing postgraduate students in the field of quality management of projects for their complete lifecycle. It introduces students in the concept of quality and the basic management processes (quality planning, assurance and control). For each of them, provides students with in-depth understanding of IT tools and techniques according to widely accepted and used methodologies.
Personal Skills Development The development of “soft skills” is a critical success factor across all domains and markets of the current business environment. In this context, the introductory seminars in Personal Skills Development will help students to improve their communication and presentation skills, as well as build teamwork, creativity, negotiation and leadership skills using experiential activities such as business games, team building exercises, self-assessment tests, role-playing exercises, simulations etc.
ELECTIVE COURSES
Big Data and Business Analytics Every product and service as well as every project, business operation, consumer behavior etc. generates a vast amount of data. This data contains a wealth of information that often remains completely untapped. Modern organizations have fully understood the value that this knowledge can bring and hence are increasingly turning towards the collection and exploitation of this data. This course presents the most important technologies and system architectures for collecting, managing and processing large-scale data (big data) and their applications, as illustrated through contemporary projects and innovations. In addition, it provides, through hands-on training, the fundamental tools, methodologies and techniques for preparing, enriching, exploring as well as extracting knowledge from data, and for predicting the future course of critical variables. In this way, business analytics enables early trend and opportunity identification, thus supporting project management, business and strategic decision making in general.
Procurement and Supply Course Description:
Procurement and Supply constitute the body of integrated activities that focuses on the acquisition of materials, equipment, and services needed to reach organizational goals. It have the responsibility to plan, implement, and manage the internal and external dimensions that constitute the supply system of an enterprise or a non-for profit organization.
Objectives of the Course:
Obtaining skills and up-to-date knowledge on subject areas pertaining to Procurement and Supply. Course participants, irrespective of their future career, will receive support to be familiar with basic concepts and will understand the application of methodologies to manage problems arising from acquiring materials and services from enterprises and organizations.
CORE COURSES
MSc Thesis Project Management Certification The course functions as a culmination of the knowledge attained throughout the Project Management specialization. It deals with the presentation, analysis, in‑depth study and explanation of the operation of Project Management, according to the latest standard of the Project Management Institute (PMI®). It presents, in particular, the basic concepts and fundamentals of Project Management along with predictive, plan-based methodologies; moreover, it presents the approach of the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) and Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification exams of PMI®, it emphasizes the importance of professional certification as a valuable add-on to the graduate level knowledge in Project Management and it performs a complete preparation for participation in such exams.
Agile Project Management Since the presentation of the Agile Manifest in 2001, the agile approach in Project Management has broken the barriers of projects for software development and relevant products, and has been established as a key concept in the broader management and operation of an organization. The agile approach is particularly useful when one can’t (or, does not wish to) identify the project contents from the beginning, when requirements are constantly changing, when the project is delivered in small steps, or when activities may easily be altered. This course presents the fundamentals of the agile approach, the basic agile methodologies, such as SCRUM and KANBAN, as well as the tools and techniques with which we may manage and implement an agile project. Additionally, the course deals with the business analysis framework of Project Management along with the agile and adaptive Project Management methodologies. The course operates as a culmination of the knowledge attained in the Project Management specialization.
ELECTIVE COURSES
Project Management in Practice The course presents how the principles, tools and techniques of Project Management are applied in practice in a broad spectrum of applications. In this context, the creation, structure and operation of a Project Management Office (PMO) is presented as useful software tools for its development. In addition, students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the importance of negotiations in Project Management and practice through related games. Moreover, students will examine the different financial instruments available for project financing. Finally, through a series of presentations by distinguished market executives, the particularities of the implementation of Project Management in practice in a series of modern and interesting sectors, such as construction projects, equipment and facilities maintenance projects, informatics and digital transformation projects incorporating the application of agile project management, projects in the shipping field, the framework and the implementation of projects of large organizations, projects through (co)-financed programs, corporate transformation projects and the approach of consulting companies to Project Management, as well as special issues (projects of social content, International PM Organizations, special projects, etc.).
Overall, this course emphasizes in real-world problems so that it is possible to match the knowledge students have acquired throughout their postgraduate studies with practical applications and documented case studies.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will develop skills to:
- Know the structure and operation of a PMO
- Know what is required and how to create a PMO
- Handle negotiations in the context of Project Management
- Understand the different financial instruments available for project financing
- Understand the specifics of implementing the principles, tools and techniques of Project Management in different sectors.
ERP Systems in Project Management - Applications with SAP The course shows how project management utilizes the main advantage of ERP systems, that of the integration of business functions. In this way, the topics covered are, on one hand, all topics related to project management, and on the other hand, the way in which the individual operational functions work together and exchange information to enable relevant decision making.
Digital Transformation and Operations Management Course description:
Enterprises and organizations are experiencing an unprecedented transformation in their business operations due to the convergence of multiple technologies, including the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, big data, and distributed ledger technologies. This course aims to present the digital transformation of business operations, exploring the impact of the above-mentioned cutting-edge technologies.
Course Objectives:
The primary objective of this course is to equip graduates of the MSc program with the knowledge and skills necessary to become future executives in Logistics and Supply Chain Management departments. Students will learn to use and apply cutting-edge technologies for efficient organization and management of business operations within complex production/distribution systems.
Climate Change & Sustainability Climate change is expected to affect key sectors such as water availability, food security and energy, while mitigation, management and adaptation efforts are a global axis of development. The multiple and multifaceted correlation between climate change and sustainability has significant implications for entrepreneurship, creates major challenges in infrastructure development and project implementation, requires new strategies in environmental resource management, and generates new data in energy and economic policy. The course will discuss: (a) climate change data, climate scenarios, policies and strategies, (b) adaptation strategies and building a climate-resilient future, (c) issues related to atmospheric pollution, industry, energy and the environment, (d) corporate social responsibility and (e) sustainability and environmental resource management. Also, case studies related to the effects of climate change on the tourism industry, the construction of road axes, the management of coastal engineering projects, energy security, etc. will be presented.
Upon successful completion of the course, the students will be able to:
- Manage the interaction between climate change impacts and aspects of entrepreneurship.
- Plan mitigation and adaptation actions at national, regional and local level.
- Incorporate the uncertainty of climate models into decision making about the future.
- Formulate adaptation strategies to build a future resilient to climate change.
- Understand issues of inequality and familiarize themselves with the methods and policies to abolish them.
Industry 4.0 Systems The modern world is characterized by the emergence of a new production model that is internationally identified by the term Industry 4.0. The core of this model is based on the increased digitization of production processes, in which physical objects are integrated with the information network, allowing the decentralization of production and its adaptation to the prevailing external conditions in real time. Key feature of this new model is the extensive further automation of production systems in order to increase their speed, flexibility and efficiency, without jeopardizing sustainability and/or safety. The scope of the course is to present in detail this new model that combines both elements of new technologies and forms of organization, such as cyber-physical systems, decentralized production systems, ‘smart’ logistics/manufacturing systems, ‘smart’ energy systems, advanced work support systems, etc.
Upon successful completion of the course, the students will have understood the concept of Industry 4.0 and the associated technologies involved, analyzing and discussing relevant topics such as:
- Industrial Internet of Things – IIoT
- Advanced/’Smart’ Manufacturing
- ‘Smart’ Factory & Products
- Ppreventive diagnostics techniques and facility maintenance
- Digital Twins, Augmented Reality, etc.