Abstract:

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, project implementation plans have become excessively difficult to execute as initially planned. The workload, giving the impossibility of meeting other team members, has been postponed and outcomes have become difficult to achieve within the specified time-frame. Project managers’ endeavors to possess better performance are under increasing scrutiny during global disruptive events. Therefore, several contingency measures should be taken into account in order to tackle and mitigate the effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This research seeks to fill this void. In particular, by taking the BENEFIT “Boosting Innovation in Education and Research of Precision Agriculture in Palestine Project” project as a case study, this research potentially attempts explore both the success factor and the risks that have to be considered, as well as the various approaches that should be taken in order to ensure project resilience.

BENEFIT is an international cooperation project funded by the Erasmus Plus of the European Union (Project #: 609544-EPP-1-2019-1-PS-EPPKA-CBHE-J). It seeks to facilitate knowledge transfer between European (Slovakia, Greece, Bulgaria and Czech Republic) and Palestinian Higher Education Institutions in the field of “agriculture”. In particular, the project focuses on the integration of smart technologies in agriculture, while developing a joint, contemporary, and flexible curriculum in precision agriculture. Smart and precision agriculture have the potential of producing yields more efficiently and flexibly, while at the same time reducing the environmental impacts

The research provides a practical understanding of how to manage international cooperation projects during uncertain times, and a guide for further similar actions. The findings suggest that international cooperation projects can sustain their effectiveness and performance through maintaining efficient collaboration, supported by the proper use per learning outcome technological tools, and successful partnership across the project consortium. Efficient collaboration allows project partners to find constructive ways and context-specific approaches to carry out project activities, alleviate any raised problems, while addressing the negative implications caused by global issues such as COIVD-19 pandemic. The results of this case can be considered a modest step toward a more efficient and resilient project management of international cooperation projects during uncertain times.

Keywords:

Project resilience, COVID-19, Project management, Erasmus+, Agriculture.