The ACTIVE Cup
The ACTIVE Cup is the engineering construction industry’s project management competition.
The high-pressure competition, which started in 1994 and takes place three times a year, gives teams experience of the whole project management process as they manage a simulated project through an execution phase of 28 weeks.
Run by Cranfield School of Management at Cranfield University on behalf of the ECITB, this hugely popular three-day competition welcomes delegates from companies across all engineering construction industry sectors.
Up to 12 teams, each with five members, manage a project from concept through to completion. The competition enables teams to experience the whole project management process and tests a wide range of project management skills. The aim is for a team to make the most profit against their initial cost.
Andrew Hockey, CEO of the ECITB, presents the award for the 46th ECITB ACTIVE Cup to the Bechtel Ltd team: (L-R) Willy Joe Vembally, Ash Davey, Esme Elman, Mohamed Nabil, Andrew Hockey and Sakhr Mohamed.
2024 ACTIVE Cup dates
- Friday 26 to Sunday 28 January 2024: Cranfield School of Management at Cranfield University, near Milton Keynes
- Monday 4 to Wednesday 6 March 2024: Carnoustie Golf Hotel, north of Dundee.
- Friday 21 to Sunday 23 June 2024: Cranfield School of Management
Interested in entering a team for the ACTIVE Cup June 2024?
ACTIVE Cup learning aims and objectives
The ACTIVE Cup is part of the ECITB’s wider project management training programmes aimed at raising skill levels within the engineering construction industry.
The overall learning aims of the competition are to develop:
- An understanding of management processes in the continuous planning / execution / control cycle of a dynamic project.
- The implementation of the ACTIVE Principles in the execution of a dynamic project.
- An understanding of the relationship between cost, schedule and cash flow.
- An understanding of project risk management and the allocation of commercial risk through appropriate forms of contract.
- Commercial awareness and skills in negotiation with clients, suppliers and banks.
- Organisational skills working as a key member of a project team.
ACTIVE Cup delegates
The competition is aimed at project management practitioners, project team members, engineers and support/service staff such as HR and accounts personnel who interface with and provide services to project teams.
A combined team can comprise delegates from several SMEs if desired. Larger companies may wish to include up to two members from their partner and alliancing companies, supply chain companies or their subcontractors.
Team captains should be project practitioners with some experience in team management.
The remaining team members should have a minimum of one year project exposure and some knowledge of basic project management techniques.
“As engineers, it was a great insight into how a project works from start to finish. We will all take this learning back to Petrofac.”
“The ACTIVE Cup was a brilliant experience and I would encourage everyone to participate. The competition illustrates the project life cycle and how every professional can impact the schedule and cost through their daily actions and decisions.”
“It’s been great working in such a diverse team which enabled a variety of ideas and collaboration.”
“It’s intense; the time pressures put you on the spot and take you out of your comfort zone. That is when the learning happens. Not just about what you know, but about who you are.”
Further information on the ACTIVE Cup
Contact Cat Waddon via cat.waddon@ecitb.org.uk
McDermott International’s Red-5 team (left) was the overall winner of the January 2024 ACTIVE Cup event, which took place at Cranfield University (right)