MAJOR PROJECTS ACADEMY
Executive Education | Professional Accreditation | Chartered Progression
Setting the Standard for Strategic Delivery Excellence
A Leading Authority in 'Mega' Projects
Dr Gary Walker
Founder & Academy Director
Founder
Dr Gary Walker is the Founder and Executive Director of the Major Projects Academy, focused on the strategic management of major infrastructure programs and the role of the client in shaping successful outcomes.
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His work centres on the level at which major programs are defined—mandate, governance, delivery model, and risk—rather than how they are executed.
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Over a career spanning more than 45 years, he has advised governments, infrastructure owners, and leading organisations on the structuring and strategic management of complex capital programs.
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He has held senior executive roles with leading international client and Tier 1 organisations and advised on major international transportation, energy, civil infrastructure programs.
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He has contributed to academic research and teaching in the field of major projects, including the design and delivery of postgraduate programmes focused on strategic program leadership.
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Dr Walker holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in construction and project management, and a doctoral degree specialising in major infrastructure programs. He is a distinguished Fellow of Chartered Management Institute; Chartered Institute Logistics & Transport; Chartered Institute of Building; Association of Project Management; Royal Society of Arts & Commerce; Society for the Environment; and Strategic Management Society, making him one of the worlds leading authorities in major infrastructure programs.
His focus remains consistent: ensuring major programs are structured to succeed—not just delivered efficiently.
Strategic Management of Major Projects
Professional Recognition
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Major Projects Academy is a Recognised Centre of Excellence approved by the Chartered Management Institute, an internationally recognised professional body for leadership, management and consulting excellence.
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Major Projects Academy is dedicated exclusively to advancing the Strategic Management of Major Projects through executive education, applied professional development and professional recognition for leaders responsible for the planning, governance, funding, delivery and long-term stewardship of major infrastructure investment.
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The Strategic Management of Major Projects (SMMP) program brings together executive learning, applied assessment, a strategic thesis and a professional viva voce into a single, integrated program of professional development, designed to prepare leaders to advise and influence the successful delivery of major infrastructure investment throughout its full lifecycle.
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Successful completion of the program results in the award of the Certificate in Strategic Management of Major Projects, jointly awarded by Major Projects Academy and the Chartered Management Institute.
The completed Strategic Management of Major Projects program aligns with UNESCO's International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 7), recognising Master's-level executive professional development.
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In addition to the Joint Certificate, graduates are formally recognised by Major Projects Academy as a Major Projects Advisor (MPA), recognising their demonstrated capability to provide strategic advice across the complete lifecycle of major infrastructure investment—from strategic need and business case development through governance, funding, procurement, programme delivery, operational readiness, benefits realisation and long-term asset stewardship.
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Together, the Joint Certificate in Strategic Management of Major Projects and professional recognition as a Major Projects Advisor (MPA) represent the successful completion of the Academy's integrated executive education, professional development and strategic advisory accreditation pathway.
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The program also provides participants with a recognised pathway towards Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) professional status through the Chartered Management Institute, supporting continued professional development and international recognition within the global management consulting profession.​​
To empower global enterprises and visionary leaders, the Academy offers three highly optimized commercial tiers, each securely anchored by our $6,000 corporate cohort value measure.
Core Program Components Included Across All Tiers
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To ensure absolute prestige and an uncompromised standard of excellence, the academic rigor and quality assurance benchmarks remain identically outstanding for every single delegate:
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Part 1: The Strategic Knowledge Base – 10 high-impact strategic management modules supported by 560 pages of specialized knowledge transfer and 12 world-class international mega-project case studies.
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Part 2: The Funding Mastery Thesis – Production of a powerful, applied 4,000-word Strategic Funding Report targeting an active or pipeline infrastructure project within your sector, creating immediate institutional value.
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Part 3: The Executive Viva Voce – An inspiring, 1-hour boardroom-level oral examination to confidently showcase your strategic conclusions and professional judgment, chaired directly by Dr. Gary Walker.
The Prestige of the ISCED 7 Academic Framework
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To guarantee our delegates achieve the absolute pinnacle of international recognition, the SMMP curriculum proudly aligns with ISCED Level 7 (International Standard Classification of Education), the premier global gold standard developed by UNESCO.
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Master’s-Level Academic Standing: ISCED Level 7 certifies the program at postgraduate Master's-degree level standing (matching the exceptional intellectual weight, critical analysis, and strategic depth expected in a Master of Science [MSc] or a Master of Business Administration [MBA]).
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Elite Executive Rigor: It verifies that the advanced analytical depth, critical leadership insights, and strategic workload of your 10 core modules meet the highest international university-level executive benchmarks.
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Boardroom Certification: The final applied funding thesis and the 1-hour Viva Voce oral examination perfectly mirror elite postgraduate dissertation defenses. This ensures that earning the Major Projects Advisor (MPA) credential stands as undeniable, visible proof of a leader's readiness to command major capital programs with confidence.
