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Md Asif Khan recently earned the prestigious Project Business Professional (PBP) certification from the Project Business Foundation.
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Political Science Student Earns Prestigious Certification

October 8, 2025

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MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University Political Science graduate student Md Asif Khan recently earned the prestigious Project Business Professional (PBP) certification from the Project Business Foundation.

Khan is one of the first in the world to earn this recognition, as it was introduced in July.

"When I first saw the words ‘Congratulations, you are now a Project Business Professional' appear on my screen, I paused for a long moment," Khan said. "It wasn't just relief after weeks of study, instead, it was a quiet realization of how far I had come."

The PBP certification centers around four main topics: project business management, project business processes, project business systems and project business culture. By going through this rigorous testing process, Khan was able to use what he learned at WIU to reshape the way he looks at projects.

"The PBP certification equips me with the ability to bridge two worlds: academia and practice," Khan said. "It allows me to approach projects with the discipline of business management while maintaining the broader lens of governance and policy. In practical terms, it will help me contribute to large-scale public sector IT projects, humanitarian initiatives, or research collaborations where transparency, accountability, and measurable impact are paramount."

With this certification in hand, Khan wants to bridge governance, technology and international development. His dream role is to be a policy strategist or project leader in a global organization where he can design and manage high-impact initiatives.

"For me, success would mean leading projects that create long-term value and inspire others to see the power of combining research with practice," Khan said.

To learn more about WIU's graduate programs, visit wiu.edu/graduate_studies. For more information on WIU's political science program, visit wiu.edu/politicalscience.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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