Academic Programme
- Call for Paper is open
The Summit offers a unique cross-industry platform for examining how projects can drive progress, resilience, and sustainable value.
Themes
Hope Summit 2026 is structured around three core themes: People, Purpose, and Performance.
We welcome contributions under the following key themes:
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✔ Leading High Performance Teams
✔ Delivering Impact in a Disrupted World
✔ Capital Projects and Public Value
✔ Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Project Management
Leading High Performance Teams
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At the core of every successful project lies the human dimension — leadership, collaboration, motivation, and trust. This theme examines how teams achieve sustained high performance in complex, high-pressure environments, exploring the ways emotional intelligence, communication, and collective capability influence project success and organisational resilience. Papers in this track are invited to investigate behavioural and cultural dynamics of project work, leadership in diverse and distributed contexts, psychological safety, and the evolving role of people in shaping project outcomes — not just as contributors, but as strategic drivers of performance and value.
Delivering Impact in a Disrupted World
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Projects today are expected to deliver more than financial outcomes — they must create measurable, meaningful impact in societies navigating rapid technological, environmental, and geopolitical disruption. This theme explores how projects generate sustainable value, contribute to strategic goals, and align with broader societal, environmental, and ethical considerations in an uncertain landscape. Submissions are encouraged to address frameworks for impact and value measurement, ESG integration, adaptive delivery approaches, and the ways project leadership can translate purpose into long-term benefits for organisations, communities, and the planet.
Capital Projects and Public Value
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Large-scale capital projects and public investments define much of the modern built environment. This theme invites insights into governance, performance management, and accountability in public sector projects and infrastructure development. Papers may address topics such as risk and stakeholder management, regulatory frameworks, procurement strategies, and the balance between efficiency, transparency, and public value in complex programmes.
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Project Management
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Digital transformation is redefining how projects are conceived, planned, and delivered — and artificial intelligence is now at the forefront of that shift. This theme explores how AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making are reshaping project landscapes, changing leadership roles, and expanding what is possible in complex delivery environments. Authors are invited to present research, case studies, and insights on the practical application of digital technologies in enhancing project performance, predictive capability, organisational learning, and the ethical governance required to integrate AI responsibly and sustainably into project practice.