Author: Alpha Ziman, PMP, PMI-PBA

The Ultimate Project Management Challenge Returns – Join Us on 29 October 2025!

Are you ready to put your project management skills to the test? 

Project managers, aspiring PMs and project management enthusiasts mark your calendars! The PMI Switzerland Chapter is celebrating International Project Management Day 2025 with the return of the Ultimate Project Management Challenge. 

Following last year’s resounding success, the PMI Switzerland Chapter, in collaboration with STS, The Project Management Training Company (sts.ch), invites professionals from across Switzerland to take part in a nationwide SimulTrain® simulation. This interactive competition puts you in the role of a project manager, navigating high-pressure scenarios, unexpected challenges and team dynamics in real time. 

Whether it’s managing risks, resolving conflicts, or making split-second decisions, this is your chance to demonstrate the skills that make great project managers stand out. Teams will compete locally, with top performers advancing to a Swiss-wide ranking. Prizes, recognition, and valuable networking opportunities await during the post-event apéro, where you can enjoy drinks, light snacks and connect with peers from across the country.

Special Thank You to Our Venue Sponsors

We are grateful to the organizations hosting this event in four cities across Switzerland:

• Roche in Basel
• Skyguide in Geneva
• STS in Lausanne
• SIX in Zurich

Your support makes it possible to bring the project management community together for one exciting evening!

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, 29 October 2025
• Time: 16:00 – 21:00 (presentation, simulation game, ranking and apéro included)
• Locations: Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, and Zurich
• Seats: Limited in each region — register early to secure your spot!
• Participants can register as individuals or teams. Individual registrants will have the opportunity to form teams on-site, so everyone can join the challenge.

To prepare, we recommend exploring the SimulTrain® demo at simultrain.swiss. Reviewing the demo will help you get familiar with the simulation environment, so you can focus on making the best strategic decisions during the competition.

Don’t Miss Out! Challenge yourself, sharpen your skills, and connect with Switzerland’s project management community. Celebrate International Project Management Day 2025 with us and take your project management expertise to the next level. 

Register now on our Events Page — we look forward to seeing you there!

1. For Basel: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/events-list/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-basel
2. For Geneva: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-geneva
3. For Lausanne: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/events-list/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-lausanne
4. For Zurich: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/events-list/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-zurich

Author: Marketing Manager at STS The Project Management Training Company 

5 Things you probably didn’t know about SimulTrain®

On the International Project Management Day 2025, PMI Switzerland Chapter and STS (https://www.sts.ch) invite you to the Ultimate PM Challenge. After Zurich, Basel, and Lausanne, the spotlight now also shines on Geneva. 

The secret ingredient of the Ultimate PM Challenge is SimulTrain®. So let’s uncover 5 things you may not know about it and that will make this competition unlike any other:

1. It compresses months of project life into hours
In SimulTrain®, a team of 3–4 participants steps into the role of project managers running a mid-size project. The simulation runs in accelerated mode, so within just a few hours you’ll face the kind of decisions, risks, and conflicts that usually unfold over months.

2. It’s about more than time, cost, and scope
Real projects succeed, or fail, also because of people. That’s why SimulTrain® forces you to consider motivation, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction alongside traditional KPIs. You can deliver on budget and on time, yet still fail if your team disengages.

3. Every decision has visible consequences
Should you cut scope, delay a task, or reduce quality? SimulTrain® instantly shows you how each decision affects project KPIs. You experience the cause-and-effect chain in real time, watching how small choices cascade across deadlines, budget, risks, and team morale.

4. It makes stress part of the learning
SimulTrain® is not only a theory exercise. It recreates the pressure of real project life: conflicts within the team, sudden scope changes, disappearing resources, and unexpected risks. Participants learn not just how to plan, but how to adapt, lead, and make tough calls under stress.

5. It builds skills you can’t get from books
Beyond technical PM competencies — planning, monitoring, risk management — SimulTrain® trains behavioral skills: leading teams, resolving conflicts, making accountability visible, and communicating clearly under pressure. The debriefing sessions are equally powerful, comparing strategies, analysing outcomes, and turning mistakes into lasting learning.

Why it matters
SimulTrain® has been successfully used by universities, training providers, and corporations in over 50 countries. It’s available in 20+ languages and comes with many different scenarios. 

Experience all this live at the Ultimate PM Challenge on IPM Day 2025. 

1. For Basel: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/events-list/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-basel
2. For Geneva: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-geneva
3. For Lausanne: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/events-list/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-lausanne
4. For Zurich: https://pmi-switzerland.ch/events/events-list/pmi-evening-event/2025-29-10-ipmd25-zurich

We look forward to seeing you there!

Zara Groh 

Marketing Manager – STS The Project Management Training Company 

Author: Dario Culap, CAPM

We are actively involved in the PMI Construction Professional Ambassadors Program

Dear Members and Colleagues,

We’re excited to share some important news: PMI-Switzerland is now actively involved in the PMI Construction Professional Ambassadors Program!

In recent years, Project Management within the Construction and Built Environment sectors has often felt overlooked. PMI is now taking practical steps to change that, by deepening its engagement with these industries and promoting best practices.

It is no secret that large-scale construction projects frequently face delays and cost overruns, often as a result of poor management practices.

To try and do its part and improve the situation, PMI has introduced a new certification: PMI-CP (Construction Professional). It aims to give guidelines and prepare project managers to lead, plan and manage contracts, as well as navigate the specific complexities and issues of the construction industry.

As part of this, PMI-Switzerland will soon be launching a series of events, webinars, and networking opportunities focused on project management in construction.

Whether you're already working in the industry or simply curious to learn more, this is a great opportunity to engage with the sector and professionals facing similar challenges and driving meaningful change.

So, stay tuned and stay connected for upcoming news and events.

To learn more about PMI-CP: Construction Professional (PMI-CP) Certification | PMI

Next event related to Construction projects: From Stakeholders to Success: Effective Participation in Construction Projects

Author: Miroslava Sedlarova, PMP, PMI-PBA, Networking Events Lead at PMI Switzerland Chapter

AI, Data & Ethics: How Project Managers Can Shape Responsible Innovation (29 September 202, Zurich)

29 September 2025 – Zurich (Altstetten)

AI and data are transforming the way we deliver projects — opening up incredible opportunities, but also raising new questions around transparency, trust, and responsibility. For today’s project leaders, ethics is no longer optional; it’s the foundation for success in the age of intelligent technologies.

At our upcoming PMI Switzerland event, taking place on 29 September 2025 at Bank Julius Bär in Zurich-Altstetten, we’re excited to welcome Sarah Gadd, recently recognized as one of the 2025 Global Top 100 Chief Data Officers (see the full list here).

Sarah will share her know-how in data management, along with practical tips and tricks, and her perspective on how project managers can address the ethical dimensions of AI and data in real project environments.

From frameworks like the Data Ethics Canvas and the EU Trustworthy AI Guidelines to real-life examples in digital banking and analytics, you’ll leave with new tools, fresh perspectives, and plenty of food for thought to apply in your own projects.

And, as always with PMI Switzerland events, it’s not just about learning — it’s also about connecting with other leaders and project managers, exchanging ideas, and expanding your professional network in a collaborative atmosphere.

📍 The event will take place at Bank Julius Bär in Zurich-Altstetten, a conveniently located hub offering easy access for participants from across Switzerland.

👉 Register here – seats are limited, don’t miss it!

We look forward to seeing you there and exploring together how we, as project managers, can shape responsible innovation in the age of intelligent technologies.

Best regards,
Miroslava Sedlarova

on behalf of the PMI Switzerland Chapter