Hi David,
MII provides the 'Default' project as a 'System Project'.
But MII does not supports a user to create a system project (Because the user project is created by user and not by system
).
Also the work around you did(changing the XML) is not supported by MII but would work.
So you would not find any role or setting in MII to make a project as System Project.
Regards,
Rohit Negi.