Built Environment Education: Is it fit for purpose?

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March 2013 BECi 20:20 Series 1

Higher education for the

built environment

Are we fit for purpose?

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“I hope for

fireworks”

Chris Wise – 20 Feb 2013

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#BECi2020 “designers and constructors work

together to develop an integrated

solution that best meets the

required outcome”


KEY OBJECTIVE:

An integrated

supply chain

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“We educate in very narrow

silos…they come out of

university with preconceived

ideas”

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“....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.”

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“The relationship

between those

responsible for

design and those

who actually build

must be improved

through common

education”

Sir Harold

Banwell

1964

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“....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

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“We educate in very

narrow silos…they

come out of

university with

preconceived ideas”

Peter Rogers Chairman of

Strategic Forum for

Construction

2002

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Infrastructure

FM Planning

Property


Fragmentation

Architecture Engineering

Technology

Production

Management

Commercial

Built Environment Disciplines

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Fragmentation

Silo-based habits

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“..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

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Fragmentation

Silos Specialisation

Narrow focus

Preconceived ideas

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Fragmentation

Silo-based habits

The historical context….

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Fragmentation

Silo-based habits

18th Century

o Gradual

breakdown of

medieval model

o Increasing use of

intermediary

between

employer and

tradesmen

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Fragmentation

Silo-based habits

Early 19th C

o Separation of design and construction

o Emergence of the ‘measurer’ (QS)

o Growth of general contracting

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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

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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

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Built environment education reflects the

fragmented nature of the professions.

Curriculum heavily influenced by professional

bodies through accreditation

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What’s the answer then?

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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

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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

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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

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Fragmentation

Silo-based habits


Technology

Production

Management

Commercial


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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

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Why?

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Barriers…….

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Fragmentation

Silo-based habits

Professional bodies

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Fragmentation

Silo-based habits

Employers

• Many have a preference for graduates

from accredited courses

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Students

•Attracted to professionally accredited courses

•Perception of better employment prospects

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Universities

•Not inclined to take risks which might impact on

student recruitment

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Looking ahead: Is anything likely to change?

Some possible drivers for change:

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Learning & teaching is changing..

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Learning & teaching is changing..

• Less emphasis

on knowledge

• More emphasis

on:

– creativity

– problem-solving

– judgement

– collaboration

– coping with

change

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Impact of

tuition fees?

• Universities

will have to

be more

responsive

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Low Carbon

Agenda:

• Need for

innovation

• A catalyst for

new ways of

working

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• Promoting

collaboration

• New

procurement

models

• Intelligent

client

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Potential

platform for

a radical

rethink of

built

environment

education

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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

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Educational

models

from other

countries?

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BECi 20:20 Series March 2013 43

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PROJECT BASED TEACHING

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Are we fit for purpose?

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Built Environment:

Collaboration and Integration

Built Environment Education: Is it fit for purpose?

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