@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 1
Higher education for the
built environment
Are we fit for purpose?
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 2
“I hope for
fireworks”
Chris Wise – 20 Feb 2013
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020 “designers and constructors work
together to develop an integrated
solution that best meets the
required outcome”
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 3
KEY OBJECTIVE:
An integrated
supply chain
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 4
“We educate in very narrow
silos…they come out of
university with preconceived
ideas”
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 5
“....courses may have become too
specialised or narrowly focussed on
meeting short-term industrial
needs, rather than educating people
for a career in the built
environment.”
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 6
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 7
“The relationship
between those
responsible for
design and those
who actually build
must be improved
through common
education”
Sir Harold
Banwell
1964
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 8
“....courses may have
become too
specialised or
narrowly focussed on
meeting short-term
industrial needs,
rather than educating
people for a career in
the built
environment.”
Gann & Salter
1998
Interdisciplinary Skills for Built
Environment Professionals
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 9
“We educate in very
narrow silos…they
come out of
university with
preconceived ideas”
Peter Rogers Chairman of
Strategic Forum for
Construction
2002
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
Infrastructure
FM Planning
Property
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 10
Fragmentation
Architecture Engineering
Technology
Production
Management
Commercial
Built Environment Disciplines
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 11
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 12
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 13
“..it is scarcely
possible that the
innovation and
change that is
essential …can be
secured through
the industry as it
is currently
structured....and
in the silo-based
habits of the
industry’s
institutions.”
Paul Morrell
2010
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 14
Fragmentation
Silos Specialisation
Narrow focus
Preconceived ideas
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 15
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
The historical context….
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 16
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
18th Century
o Gradual
breakdown of
medieval model
o Increasing use of
intermediary
between
employer and
tradesmen
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 17
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
Early 19th C
o Separation of design and construction
o Emergence of the ‘measurer’ (QS)
o Growth of general contracting
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 18
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
Professional institutions
1818 Institution of Civil Engineers
1834 Institute of British Architects
1834 Builders’ Society
1868 Institution of Surveyors
..... fragmentation institutionalised
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 19
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
Professional institutions
1818 Institution of Civil Engineers
1834 Institute of British Architects
1834 Builders’ Society
1868 Institution of Surveyors
..... fragmentation institutionalised
Built environment education
in 20C
• Architecture and engineering:
established early in universities
• Surveying and building - tradition of
part time education – relatively late in
universities
• All disciplines subject to control from
professional bodies
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 20
Built environment education reflects the
fragmented nature of the professions.
Curriculum heavily influenced by professional
bodies through accreditation
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 21
What’s the answer then?
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series
“There is considerable scope for greater
commonality in the education, training
and continuing professional
development of the construction
professions.”
(1993)
March 2013 22
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series
A report on the state of commonality in education
and training for the construction professions
Professor John Andrews &
Sir Andrew Derbyshire
“no support for the concept of a
common three-year first degree for all
construction professionals”
CROSSING BOUNDARIES
“What’s the point of educating rounded
people for an industry full of square,
adversarial roles?”
Quote from a contributor:
March 2013 23
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series
EDUCATING THE
PROFESSIONAL TEAM
Latham Report – Working Group 9
“Propositions which use the concept
of a general built environment
degree programme would be viewed
with scepticism by academics and,
on available evidence, would be
heavily undersubscribed”
March 2013 24
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 25
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
Architecture Engineering
Technology
Production
Management
Commercial
Built Environment Disciplines
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 26
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
Architecture Engineering
Technology
Production
Management
Commercial
Built Environment Disciplines
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 27
Silo-based habits
Technology
Production
Management
Commercial
UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER
CONSTRUCTION STUDIES PROGRAMME
BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology
BSc (Hons) Building Engineering
BSc (Hons) Building Surveying
BSc (Hons) Construction Management
BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 28
Why?
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 29
Barriers…….
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 30
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
Professional bodies
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 31
Fragmentation
Silo-based habits
Employers
• Many have a preference for graduates
from accredited courses
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 32
Students
•Attracted to professionally accredited courses
•Perception of better employment prospects
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 33
Universities
•Not inclined to take risks which might impact on
student recruitment
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 34
Looking ahead: Is anything likely to change?
Some possible drivers for change:
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 35
Learning & teaching is changing..
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 36
Learning & teaching is changing..
• Less emphasis
on knowledge
• More emphasis
on:
– creativity
– problem-solving
– judgement
– collaboration
– coping with
change
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 37
Impact of
tuition fees?
• Universities
will have to
be more
responsive
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 38
Low Carbon
Agenda:
• Need for
innovation
• A catalyst for
new ways of
working
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 39
• Promoting
collaboration
• New
procurement
models
• Intelligent
client
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 40
Potential
platform for
a radical
rethink of
built
environment
education
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 41
Chris Wise
…a new educational model for
sustainable building design.
Sustainability is for sharing
…time to defragment the
engineering and architectural
worlds ….to bring well-
integrated, contextually aware
technological knowledge into
play from the start of every
building design
20 February 2013
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 42
Educational
models
from other
countries?
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series March 2013 43
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series March 2013 44
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series March 2013 45
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series March 2013 46
PROJECT BASED TEACHING
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
BECi 20:20 Series March 2013 47
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 48
Are we fit for purpose?
@UoWBECi
#BECi2020
March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 49
Built Environment:
Collaboration and Integration