Simulation-based Learning and Project Management Certification Outcomes: Evidence from IPMA Level D Training

Abstract

The development and assessment of project management competencies remain a persistent challenge in professional education. While competence frameworks emphasise behavioural and contextual judgement, assessment practices in entry-level certification contexts continue to rely predominantly on standardised knowledge-based examinations. At the same time, simulation-based and game-based learning approaches are increasingly used to support experiential learning, yet evidence linking such interventions to externally validated assessment outcomes remains limited. This study examines whether the inclusion of a simulation-based learning intervention in a preparatory course for the International Project Management Association (IPMA) Level D certification is associated with differences in certification examination performance. Using a quasi-experimental design, examination results for participants who completed simulation-supported training (n = 178) were compared with those of a reference cohort who completed the same course without the simulation component (n = 455). Certification exam scores were analysed across competence areas defined in the IPMA Individual Competence Baseline (ICB 4.0). The results indicate that participants in the simulation-supported group achieved higher overall examination scores, with statistically significant differences concentrated mainly in selected People and Practice competence elements. Mean scores in the Perspective area were also higher in the simulation-supported group, but the differences were not statistically significant. While the non-randomised design does not allow causal conclusions, the findings suggest an association between competence-oriented simulation-based learning and higher performance in a standardised, externally administered certification examination. The analysis focused not only on overall examination performance but also on the distribution of differences across individual competence elements. This made it possible to examine whether observed differences corresponded to the areas most directly activated by the simulation scenario. The study therefore provides evidence on the alignment between simulation design, competence frameworks, and externally administered assessment outcomes. The study contributes to e-learning research by demonstrating how simulation-based learning can be examined in relation to formal assessment outcomes within a professional certification context. It highlights the importance of aligning experiential learning design with competence frameworks while maintaining independence from existing assessment formats.