Pioneering Project Management Thesis at Corvinus: György Németh, 2024 Project Management Award Winner

Congratulations once again on the Project Management Thesis of the Year award! Thank you very much for accepting the invitation to this interview. As a lecturer at Corvinus University, please allow me to sincerely congratulate you on this achievement as the winner in the postgraduate category of the Project Management Thesis of the Year competition.  

What does this award mean to you personally and professionally? Do you see it as a turning point in your career? 

Even if it’s not a turning point, it’s certainly a milestone. It’s a sign that I’m heading in the right direction, proof that hard work pays off, and an added motivation to continue learning. 

After such a significant professional recognition, many may wonder: what immediate goals have you set for yourself? 

I definitely want to return to university and continue my postgraduate studies. In the meantime, I aim to incorporate what I’ve learned into my daily work and, based on my research results, contribute to the promotion and development of AI usage within my company. 

Since receiving the award, have you noticed any changes in your daily life? If so, how has this recognition impacted you? 

I think I still haven’t fully grasped the magnitude of it. Maybe that will change after the conference. I’ll likely be holding onto the subway handrails with a bigger smile. 

Looking beyond short-term plans, where do you see yourself in the future? What long-term goals motivate you? 

I hope to use what I learned at Corvinus in my profession and lead my own projects. I believe I will have every opportunity to do this in the future. 

 How did you hear about the competition, and what inspired you to apply? 

We heard about it at university with my classmates. This was already my third thesis (hopefully not my last), and I was curious to see how I’d measure up against others in the same category, to get feedback on where I stand. Plus, the topic is closely tied to one of the key questions currently affecting the project management profession, AI. I thought the findings in my thesis might also be useful to others. 

What inspired you the most to participate in the competition, and what was the biggest challenge in preparing your thesis? 

Honestly, my partner, friends, and classmates encouraged me the most. It was a huge honor to meet and learn alongside so many new and great people in this program, many of whom were already experienced project managers. I’d like to say hi to everyone and thank them for their support! 🙂 

The biggest challenge was that I knew almost nothing about AI before I started, but that was also what made it so appealing. It was a steep climb to understand why this is challenging for many of us and especially for the project management profession in using artificial intelligence. 

You graduated from Corvinus University’s International Project Manager program. What motivated you to apply for this program? 

In my job, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in complex projects as an SME under different project managers, and I wanted to gain the knowledge needed to follow in their footsteps. 

The topic of your thesis, the impact of artificial intelligence on project management, is very exciting and relevant. How did you choose this topic, and what inspired you? 

The 11th Art of Projects conference by PMI last year was my main inspiration. I saw how important this topic is for the profession right now, and I wanted to understand how AI and project management connect. I was lucky to find a supervisor who was also interested in this topic and who provided all the support I needed to understand and approach my research from the right angle. 

Could you briefly summarize the findings of your research question and hypotheses in your thesis? 

The most important takeaway is that we still have a long way to go to successfully and fully integrate AI, and this is not necessarily only because of the current state of technology. We must be more open, engage with these new opportunities, and start learning to use these tools. We also need to help our colleagues see all the ways they can use artificial intelligence, which in itself is as challenging as the technical aspects of developing and integrating AI into our processes. 

How has the International Project Manager program contributed to your professional goals? How satisfied are you with the program, and to whom would you recommend it? 

If I could, I would gladly do it all over again; the entire experience was an adventure. My professional goals were exceeded far beyond my expectations after completing the program, and many of my classmates would say the same. I would recommend it to anyone who feels capable of more than is expected of them in their current job. Even if not everyone becomes a project manager, it’s a skill that can be used in many areas of life later on. 

What field would you like to work in the future, and what do you imagine as an ideal job? 

I definitely see myself continuing in IT. My current job has everything I wanted: variety, intellectual challenges, a supportive community, and a company that works toward positive goals that provide structure for it all. 

Looking at your career, what would you most like to achieve? 

I’m pleased to say I’ve achieved what I wanted so far, so as to what’s next, I’m still looking for the answer. Maybe it’s time to take my business coach’s advice, pause, express gratitude for my current situation, appreciate my successes, and not always rush toward the next goal. 

Looking back, what was the toughest decision you’ve had to make professionally? 

Perhaps leaving a successful team where all processes were already developed to seek new challenges. Looking back, I wondered if it was the right decision when faced with serious difficulties. Now I know it was, but it wasn’t always that clear at the time. 

Working in a team often poses serious challenges for a project leader. How would you describe yourself as a team member, and why do you consider yourself a good team player? 

Maybe not “good” yet, but rather a team player who wants to learn and improve. I can get very absorbed in my tasks, and I have to remind myself that other people’s work is closely related to mine, so I need to be flexible in responding to sudden situations and questions. For this reason, I’m also patient when someone else gets a little lost in this complex matrix. At work and beyond, I try to approach team members with acceptance and support, as everyone is a unique world with their own habits, expectations, and challenges, something every project leader should keep in mind. 

How far ahead do you plan? Where do you see yourself, say, in five years? 

I generally set goals for one to two years ahead. Currently, I feel I’m in a good place both professionally and personally, so now I’m focusing on giving back to the community for everything I’ve received so far. As I mentioned, I want to continue furthering my education, work on exciting new projects with interesting people, and volunteer more—these are part of my long-term plans. 

Thank you for the interview!