Project Leadership in a Changing World

The John Grill Institute for Project Leadership delivers world-leading executive education and research, drawing on expertise across the University of Sydney, and working with senior project directors across project-based sectors in Australia and internationally.

The focus of the Institute is on:

Executive Education – with our flagship Executive Leadership in Major Projects program and a suite of shorter courses for leaders and senior leaders.

Project Leadership in Changing World – addressing the dynamic context of project leadership, with research on three themes: 1. Digital transformation, 2. Organisational dynamics, and 3. Projects for sustainable, resilient and just futures. Discover our research.

Major Project Leadership Forum – set up for industry transformation, with a current focus on the infrastructure and construction industries, and working groups on productivity, collaboration and outcomes. Sign up to industry transformation.

News

The hidden logic deflating Australia’s infrastructure ambitions

by Dr Bradley Hastings The recent curtailing of the Inland Rail project is an example of Australia’s infrastructure delivery challenge. Looking forward we are aspirational. Yet, looking backward, our ability to deliver on these ambitions is poor, with eighty-six of major transport projects either blowing their budget, their schedule, or both. This gap between aspiration and ability is a cold reality check – communities waiting on projects to improve…
Australian Major Project Highlights (May – June 2026)

Develop Global proceeds with $570 million mining projectsMining projects in Sulphur Springs and Pioneer Dome will proceed as global commodities trader, Trafigura, commits to purchasing copper, zine and lithium from them.Read more Extra $420 million has been committed to to Queensland’s CopperString Transmission LinkThis major project is aimed at linking the State’s north and north-west regions with the National Electricity Market. Read…
How AI steals our thinking – and how to steal it back

by Dr Bradley Hastings I remember my shock when a student submitted an essay that that included their entire conversation with AI. Somewhere between the chatbot and the submission portal, they had copied across not just the answer but the prompts they used to generate it. They’re far from alone. Many of my students have stopped trying to disguise AI’s work at all, leaving in the…
Welcoming our 2026 ELMP Cohort

At the start of June, we welcomed the 2026 cohort of our Executive Leadership in Major Projects (ELMP) program as they commenced the first residential week at the University of Sydney campus. The theme of the first residential was ‘Anchor’, where the participants were led through an introspective reflection to better understand themselves within so…
Visiting Professor Juliano Denicol

We had the honour of hosting the world-renowned major projects researcher, Professor Juliano Denicol, who is the Director of the Megaproject Delivery Centre at University College London. During his visit, he held a seminar on some of the major project research of his Centre, particularly findings on how three interdependent domains shape the performance of…