Dr. Hala Fendi

Dr. Hala Fendi is an Associate Professor and Continuing Track Faculty at University Canada West (UCW). She is a PMP-certified project manager and an accomplished urban designer with a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Architectural Engineering Technology. She also holds a Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and is a Certified Change practitioner with Prosci, and a Change Management Professional (CCMP), ACMP.

With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Fendi specializes in architecture, project management, urban design, sustainable planning and change management. Her diverse portfolio includes leading high-quality urban planning and architectural designs for four major city master plans, overseeing multi-million-dollar projects and driving innovation in urban development.

Beyond her professional practice, Dr. Fendi has dedicated over 15 years to academia, where she fosters critical and creative thinking in her students. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes proactive learning, constructive feedback and real-world application of project management and design principles.

Her research interests lie at the intersection of urban planning, sustainability and project management. Notable contributions include her publications:

“Public Policies & Infrastructure for Cities: System Thinking in Action”

“Pathways to Well-Being: Green Transportation and Urban Livability in Vancouver”

"Design Delivery Development (DDD): An Integrated Approach to Change and Risk Management for Enhanced Client Satisfaction."

More recently, she has been evaluating change management from a project management perspective, presenting her findings at the 2023 PDGIA Conference, VINC 2025 Conference and PDGIA 2025 Conference.

Dr. Fendi is passionate about faculty development, research and fostering academic excellence. She continues to drive innovation in project management education, sustainability and urban design, ensuring that future leaders are equipped with the skills and knowledge to create thriving, resilient cities.

Expertise and Experience

As a PMP-certified project manager with a Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems from the University of British Columbia and a Ph.D. in Architecture, Design and Planning, Dr. Hala Fendi brings a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience to her work. Over the past decade, she has successfully led teams and managed projects, demonstrating strong leadership, communication and business acumen.

Dr. Fendi possesses technical proficiency in MS Office, Google Sheets, M.S. Project and Smart Sheets, which has been instrumental in managing multi million-dollar projects, such as the Urban Renewal City Centre Master Plan and the Urban Systems and Infrastructure Development Project. These experiences have honed her expertise in project management and spreadsheet analysis, allowing her to efficiently oversee complex initiatives.

As an educator at University Canada West (UCW), Dr. Fendi has developed comprehensive course outlines for Project Management courses and has delivered engaging lectures to classes of over thirty-five students, consistently earning 92-97% evaluation scores. Her courses cover key aspects of project management, including Budget and Cost Estimates, Time and Resource Management, Risk Management and Agile Project Management. She is particularly proud of her leadership role as a project manager for the Sustainability Group, where she contributed to creating a new Sustainability Diploma Program for graduate students.

Publications and Awards

• Building Sustainable Futures, The Integral Role of Ecological Infrastructure in Enhancing Natural Capital, and Ecosystem Services, 2023-2024.
• Ivey Publishing: “Case Study: Evaluating Learning and Development in Change Management - A Project Management Perspective.” 2023-2024.
• Presented and published a research paper for the PDGIA Conference at ASCENDA College; " The effectiveness of the Change Management Learning and Development Plan includes readiness, significant challenges, and Prosci Assessment." Vancouver, 2023-2024
• Carbon Neutral Infrastructure; Deep Carbon Reducing Planning, 2020.
• Climate Change, Biodiversity, and the Ecosystem Approach of Cities, 2020.
• Environmental Stewardship Interventions in Urban Systems; Healthy Environments, 2020.
• Public Policies & Infrastructure for Cities; System Thinking in Action, 2019.
• "Pathways to Well-Being: Green Transportation and Urban Livability in Vancouver", 2019.
• Exceptionally implemented two original research Thesis: The Psychology of Viewers in Perceiving and Interpreting Architectural Images, The Architectural and Technology Magazine, 2005.
• The Presence and Absence in Architecture: Strategies, tools and Techniques, Research submitted to the Department of Architecture Engineering, 2005.
• The Differences in Architectural Typology, Research submitted to the Department of Architecture Engineering, 2005

Certifications

• Change Management Professional Certificate, CCMP Certificate/ ACMP, 2024.
• Change Management Practitioner Certificate/ Prosci, Vancouver 2023.
• Project Management Professional Certificate PMP Certificate, Vancouver, 2022.
• Project Management Certificate, PMI Canadian West Coast Chapter, Vancouver, 2019
• Master of Engineering Leadership in Urban Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
• CACB Certificate, 2016, AIBC membership in process.
• Instructor Diploma Courses, Vancouver College VCC, Vancouver, Canada, 2012 -2013.
• (LEED) Certificate, Green Building Education Institute, Vancouver 2012.
• Business Skills Training Program Certificate, BCIT, Vancouver 2012.
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Architectural Engineering (2005), The University of Technology, Baghdad, Certified in BCIT, Vancouver, 2012.
• Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Architectural Engineering/ Technology of Architecture (2000), The University of Technology, Baghdad, Certified in BCIT, Vancouver, 2012.
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Architecture Engineering, The University of Technology, Baghdad, Certified in BCIT, Vancouver, 2012.
• Landscape Design and Construction Communication Course, BCIT, Vancouver 2011.

Courses taught at UCW

• Project Management (MGMT 640)