Project management conferences are a fantastic way to meet new people and improve your skills. I always come away feeling energised about where I am in my career and relieved having met people with similar problems to me.

With the global pandemic, all of these live events have looked very different over the past year and into early next year.

Many have been delayed or postponed, some even until 2022. Some have gone completely virtual, opening up attendance to people that may not have the ability to travel.

We’ve updated our annual post to reflect what we know is going on right now and into the far future.

If you are looking to attend a project management conference in 2021, chances are there is something happening near you that will be fun and meet your professional goals.

I’ve compiled this extensive list of conferences both local to me in the UK and around the world.

Do you know of an event to add to the list? Please fill out this form.

January to March 2021

BU Agile Innovation Lab Conference: Virtual, 12-14 January 2021

This completely online conference will be discussing how the pandemic provides challenges – and opportunities – as organisations in every industry learn how to adapt. What did we learn in 2020? How can we apply these learnings to Agile Transformations, Complex Projects and Agile for good and social justice as we move forward?

The Leading in a VUCA World Agile Conference features international think tanks, global leaders, and Agile practitioners who will discuss how we can move forward and thrive in these uncertain times. Attendees include Academics, Agile Professionals, and anyone interested in learning a better way to deliver outcomes. Some of the speakers will be JJ Sutherland and Joe Justice. 

April to June 2021

PMI Singapore Chapter Symposium: Singapore, 6-7 May 2021

The theme for this year has not been announced yet, but it will be the 16th-anniversary conference. The Symposium will highlight strategic project management for better business results, economic outlook and industry performance, and ensuring career growth in challenging environments.

Change Management 2021: Global Connect, 8-11 June 2021

The Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP) is hosting their annual conference online this year. The theme is Global Innovation: We’re Better Together and is your chance to network with other professionals who are spearheading change.

Registration and an agenda will be available sometime in January.

APM Power of Projects Conference: On Demand

APM is always an exceptional event and I’ve spoken at it in the past (You can read my write up of the 2016 conference here). This year’s theme is Power of Projects.  It is one in a series of three conferences, with other events happening in Edinburgh and Manchester.

The conference went online in 2020 and you can watch the sessions on demand here. We will update with details of a 2021 conference.

PMO Conference UK: London, UK, 15-16 June 2021

Completely focused on all things PMO, this two day event features expert speakers, an exhibition with PMO products and services, plus the chance to connect with other professionals in the industry. It is taking place at a new venue this year, The Mermaid at Blackfriars Bridge in London.

I attended the conference in 2018 and interviewed Geoff Crane. Watch the video below.

IRNOP 2021: Uppsala, Sweden, 20-23 June 2021

The International Research Network on Organizing by Projects (IRNOP) will be hosted by Uppsala University this year and take place in Uppsala, Sweden. The theme is “Temporary projects in transitional times: Moving beyond dichotomous views on projects” and it is the 15th event in the series.

The official language of the conference is English. The temperatures in Uppsala in June can vary between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius, so pack accordingly.

Project Management in Practice: Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 25-26 June 2021

Visit Boston University for the Fifteenth Annual Project Management in Practice Conference for project management newcomers as well as certified practitioners. The theme is “Change Management – Project Leadership – Manage the People Side of Change” and attendees can earn up to 16 PDUs.

Save the date and check back later as registration is not yet open for this event.

July to September 2021

Agile 2021: Online, 19-22 July 2021

This year’s event is being held completely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Agile conference is dedicated to furthering Agile principles and offering a venue for people and ideas to meet and grow. There will be attendees from over 50 countries in attendance. This will be the 20th Anniversary of their first conference.

PMI Africa Conference: Lagos, Nigeria, September 2021

This year’s conference dates have not been announced yet, but it will be held in Lagos, Nigeria. It will bring together hundreds of project, program, and portfolio managers from around Africa and the world. It will feature opportunities to network and learn.

Agile and Beyond: Detroit, Michigan, USA, September 2021

The Agile and Beyond conference was canceled in 2020 and a date has not been set for 2021 yet. We will update as we learn more.

October to December 2021

The Future PMO: London, UK, 14 October 2021

The Future PMO is a day devoted to PMO professionals. This is a fun and unique conference that brings together experts across many industries to learn from each other. Network and meet with your peers, attend the keynote and morning sessions, and in the afternoon attend workshop sessions.

It is being held at the Novotel London West which is just a 3-minute walk from the Hammersmith Underground Station.

Digital PM Summit, October 2021

The Digital PM Summit is one of the best organised and most welcoming events I have ever attended. They made being a speaker and delegate so easy, and the atmosphere was very friendly. This is a good event to go to if you haven’t been to many conferences and are a bit nervous about the networking part of the larger events. This past year they changed it to a digital event and there are no dates yet for 2021.

I spoke at the DPM Summit in San Antonio in 2016 and you can watch my video diaries from Day 1 and Day 2.

Global Scrum Gathering: Lisbon, Portugal, 17-19 November 2021

The Lisbon version of this event is to be held at the Congress Center Lisboa. This is an all levels conference. #SGLIS20 is three full days of keynotes and break out sessions to learn best practices and creative applications of Agile and the Scrum framework with professionals from around the world.

2021 AIPM National Conference: Australia, November 2021

The Australian Institute of Project Management has their annual conference at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Center. Now in its 42nd year, it is a platform for project leaders to gain knowledge and share experiences on topics that are driving the leadership of projects today and in the future.

Dubai International Project Management Forum: Dubai, UAE TBA December 2021

It is largest project management event in the region and will be entering its seventh year. There are not dates for this conference yet, but will update as they become available. Previous year’s conference were held in December, so I expect this year’s will as well.

It has over 2,000 attendees with speakers from over 50 countries, making this a global event.

Conferences in 2022

PMI Sweden Passion for Projects: Gothenburg, Sweden 14-15 March 2022

The PMI Sweden is an event with inspiring speakers, professional colleagues, and companies in different sectors gathered with the goal of sharing their knowledge and experience in project, portfolio, and program management.