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Using an action research framework, the study engages in iterative cycles of implementing, assessing and refining the project-based learning (PBL) model to align closely with the skill demands of the project management field. The specific objectives are to (1) apply and evaluate the design of PBL to identify areas for improvement, (2) assess PBL’s effectiveness in fostering key competencies such as teamwork, critical thinking, adaptability and real-time decision-making, (3) identify challenges encountered in PBL implementation to guide continuous refinement and (4) develop actionable recommendations that inform future course iterations.

This paper used action research approach to understand the design and implementation of PBL to improve student learning outcomes. Data was collected from 137 students enrolled in a postgraduate course of a project management program at a university in Australia during semester two of 2022 through an online questionnaire.

Data from 137 students confirm established benefits of PBL—improved teamwork, critical thinking and communication skills—essential to project management. Additionally, our findings highlight new benefits specific to project management education. Engaging with real-world scenarios, students developed enhanced adaptability, learning to navigate uncertainties and shifting project requirements, a key competency for project management professionals. Moreover, students showed improved real-time decision-making abilities, allowing them to make quick, informed decisions in response to dynamic project constraints. These findings suggest that PBL not only supports foundational skills but also cultivates advanced competencies aligned with the demands of professional project environments.

This study provides an actionable framework for future research, detailing an iterative, data-informed approach that adapts PBL to meet specific educational needs in project management.

Educators can use these findings to design experiential PBL models that integrate real-world constraints, enhancing the development of industry-relevant skills and preparing students for the challenges of professional project management environments.

We declare that the manuscript titled “Project-based Group Work for Enhancing Students Learning in Project Management Education: An Action Research” is our original work and has not been submitted or published elsewhere. This study explores the benefits and implementation of PBL in project management education, offering new insights from empirical data collected at an Australian university. All sources are appropriately cited. We affirm compliance with ethical guidelines and institutional policies. This manuscript represents our genuine and original research.

This study aims to systematically examine 69 secondary studies to understand trends and implications in sustainability in higher education (SHE), addressing gaps in secondary studies, which often lack comprehensive thematic overviews that hinder future directions.

This tertiary study uses meticulous thematic coding to unveil overarching themes and future research directions across seven SHE areas: institutional frameworks, campus operations, education, research, outreach and collaborations, campus experiences and assessment and reporting.

The analysis reveals challenges higher education institutions (HEIs) face in integrating sustainability, highlighting the need for a holistic approach. Barriers such as awareness deficits and resistance to change emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary research. Emphasizing holistic integration and innovation is vital for seamlessly embedding sustainability within HEIs.

Key future research themes include holistic approaches to sustainability integration, leadership for sustainable change and innovative pedagogical approaches. Additionally, it is important to explore transdisciplinary approaches in sustainability research and the role of research centers and funding in addressing sustainability challenges.

This study provides a comprehensive overview of SHE, offering insights for researchers and practitioners, and serves as a resource for advancing sustainable educational practices.

LinkedIn, as a professional networking platform, plays a crucial role in connecting professionals globally and facilitating their professional growth. This study aims to analyse the perceptions of architects and designers regarding the utilisation of LinkedIn for career development.

The research focuses on gathering professional perceptions and opinions through a qualitative analysis of primary data. A semi-structured interview approach was used for data collection. The study selected 12 actively engaged professionals from the architecture and design industry in Perth, Western Australia, who actively use LinkedIn.

The study's findings reveal diverse opinions and experiences among professionals in the architecture and design industry regarding LinkedIn. It identifies several positive impacts of LinkedIn on the Australian architecture and design industry. Architects and designers recognise the potential benefits of LinkedIn in expanding their professional networks, showcasing their work, accessing learning opportunities and contributing to industry outcomes. They also appreciate the platform's ability to connect them with peers, clients, suppliers and industry, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration in the evolving work environment.

This study contributes to the existing literature by extending the understanding of the importance of self-presentation on LinkedIn, identifying factors influencing career goal achievement and highlighting the role of professional connections on social media. It establishes connections between 21st-century online innovations and their practical applications within the relevant context.

Despite considerable research on the subject, there is still some misunderstanding about what characterizes successful project delivery in construction projects. Evaluating project delivery success is crucial for organizations since it enables them to prepare for future growth through more effective project management mechanisms and rank the organization's projects for continuous improvement. There is considerable disagreement over a set of success criteria that can be applied to all kinds of projects when evaluating project delivery success, making it a complicated procedure for practitioners and scholars. This research seeks to alleviate the problem by validating and testing a systematic project delivery success model (3D integration model) in the Australian construction industry. The aim is to establish a dependable approach built upon prior research and reliable in evaluating delivery success for any project type.

Based on a novel project delivery success model, this research applies a case study methodology to analyse 40 construction projects undertaken by a single Australian project management consultancy. The research utilizes a mixed-method research approach and triangulates three sets of data. First, the project delivery success (PDS) scores of the projects are calculated by the model. Second, a qualitative analysis targeting the performance of the same projects using a different system called the performance assessment review (PAR) scores was obtained. These culminate in two sets of ranking. The third step seeks validation of results from the head of the partnering organization that has undertaken the projects.

The findings of this study indicate that the 3D integration model is accurate and reliable in measuring the success of project delivery in construction projects of various sizes, locations and durations. While the model uses six key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure delivery success, it is evident that three of these may significantly improve the likelihood of PDS: value, speed and impact. Project managers should focus on these priority aspects of performance to generate better results.

Restrictions inherent to the case study approach are identified for this mixed-method multiple-case study research. There is a limitation on the sample size in this study. Despite the researcher's best efforts, no other firm was willing to share such essential data; therefore, only 40 case studies could be analysed. Nonetheless, the number of case studies met the literature's requirements for adequate units for multiple-case research. This research only looked at Australian construction projects. Thus, the conclusions may not seem applicable to other countries or industries. The authors investigated testing the PDS in the construction sector. It can assist in improving efficiency and resource optimization in this area. Nonetheless, the same technique may be used to analyse and rank the success of non-construction projects.

Despite the research conducted previously on the PDS of construction projects, there is still confusion among researchers and practitioners about what constitutes a successful project delivery. Although several studies have attempted to address this confusion, no consensus on consistent performance metrics or a practical project success model has been formed. More importantly, (1) the ability to measure success across multiple project types, (2) the use of triple bottom line (TBL) to incorporate sustainability in evaluating delivery success and (3) the use of a complexity measurement tool to adjust delivery success scores set the 3D integration model apart from others.

Undoubtedly, coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has released unprecedented disruptions and health crisis on people and activities everywhere. The impacts extend to public–private partnership (PPP) arrangements in the construction industry. Concomitantly, PPP pacts are contributing to combat the pandemic. However, literature on the PPP concept in the COVID-19 era remain under-researched. This study aims to review the current literature on PPPs in the COVID-19 pandemic and present the key themes, research gaps and future research directions.

In this study, 29 highly relevant literature were sourced from Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed search engines within the systematic literature review (SLR) methodology. With the aid of qualitative content analysis, the 29 articles were critically analysed leading to the extraction of hot research themes on PPPs in the coronavirus pandemic.

The results of the SLR produced eight themes such as major changes in PPP contracts, development of the COVID-19 vaccines, economic recession, facemasks and testing kits, governance and sustainability of PPPs. In addition, the study reveals seven research gaps that need further investigations among the scientific research community on mental health and post-pandemic recovery plans.

The articles selected for this review were limited to only peer-reviewed journal papers written in English excluding conference papers. This restriction may have taken out some relevant literature but they had insignificant impact on the overall outcome of this research.

To improve the understanding of practitioners in the construction industry on key issues on PPPs in the COVID-19 pandemic, the study provides them a checklist of relevant themes.

As a novel literature review relating PPPs to the coronavirus, it sets the foundation for further research and contributes to practical measures to control the virus.

The application of circular economy (CE) has received wide coverage in the built environment, including public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects, in recent times. However, current studies and practical implementation of CE are largely associated with construction demolition, waste and recycling management. Few studies exist on circular models and success factors of public infrastructures developed within the PPP contracts. Thus, the main objective of this article is to identify the models and key success factors associated with CE implementation in PPP infrastructure projects.

A systematic review of the literature was undertaken in this study using forty-two (42) peer-reviewed journal articles from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed.

The results show that environmental factors, sustainable economic growth, effective stakeholder management, sufficient funding, utilization of low-carbon materials, effective supply chain and procurement strategies facilitate the implementation of CE in PPP infrastructure projects. Key CE business models are centered around the extension of project life cycle value, circular inputs and recycling and reuse of projects.

Although the study presents relevant findings and gaps for further investigations, it has a limited sample size of 42 papers, which is expected to increase as CE gain more prominence in PPP infrastructure management in future.

The findings are relevant for decision-making by PPP practitioners to attain the social, economic and environmental benefits of transitioning to circular infrastructure management.

This study contributes to articulating the key models and measures toward sustainable CE in public infrastructure development.