Why INRPM was created
Research Project Management (RPM) has existed in practice for a long time, but people doing this work have often been scattered across institutions, countries and job titles. Many RPMs found themselves:
- reinventing tools and approaches on their own,
- having to explain their role from scratch in every new context,
- lacking a stable, shared home for their practice, and
- being isolated from peers.
INRPM grew out of the simple idea that RPM deserves a clear, global frame and a community of its own: a place where people can see their work reflected, share experience across contexts and develop the field together.
Connection to earlier initiatives
INRPM did not arise in a vacuum. The idea of a more coherent, international and independent home for Research Project Management had been discussed informally for several years, as multiple regional and national RPM initiatives were established or being explored. Some of the people who joined INRPM’s early conversations had previously been involved in some of these efforts. One of the more prominent and visible examples was the EARMA Post‑Award Project Management thematic group. When it was discontinued, it became one of several signals that there was a need for a global, independent RPM community. INRPM builds on some of the learning and momentum from these earlier efforts, while remaining independent of any single association, funder or institution.
Founders and the Foundational Framework
INRPM was founded in February 2026 and this Foundational Framework was established on the initiative of the following founders:
The founders initiated the concept, drafted the first version of the Foundational Framework, and started to test the ideas with RPM colleagues in different organisations and regions.
The Foundational Framework defines INRPM’s Vision, Mission, definition of Research Project Management and Core Principles. It was written to be stable over time, so that RPMs around the world can refer to the same basic understanding of what INRPM is and what it stands for.