CIOB goes back to school with a virtual conference bringing together academia and the wider built environment, writes Caroline Gumble.
It’s another busy year for CIOB, with a full calendar of events, including our Academic Summit being held in a couple of weeks. I am delighted we are holding this event again, not least because links between industry and academia are so important – particularly so in an industry in which innovation and digitalisation are increasingly present.
In my role, I talk to a lot of our members who are also academics and we often discuss the need to encourage, develop and maintain links between industry and academia. Earlier this year, I was invited to speak at the Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference in Liverpool. It was a great opportunity to bring people together to discuss the skills gap, the need for high-quality education and the importance of staying in touch with industry developments. I felt there was a deep commitment to deliver for the next generation of construction professionals.
There are many reasons to ensure that quality in construction education must remain on the agenda, but there are two main themes that emerge when talking to built environment academics.
Positive experience is critical
The first is absolutely critical for the future of our industry and it is simply to ensure that those who decide to undertake a built environment course have a positive experience and then go on to join the industry. A positive experience as a construction student will help keep the pipeline of new talent flowing.
The second is that high-quality education and training can support the CIOB goal of delivering high standards and professionalism across the built environment sector. We want to deliver on our public interest remit and ensure that construction and built environment professionals have access to relevant, good quality, expert-led materials and resources.
What I hope attendees will get from our Academic Summit is insight into some of the current hot topics including ethics, quality and safety, the skills gap, sustainability and wellbeing. The agenda has been shaped to support collaborations and the sharing of research and best practice.
Among the highlights there is also an opportunity to hear from CIOB’s senior vice president, Professor Mike Kagioglou, talking about modern professionalism, the headline theme in our corporate plan. I am looking forward to hearing from Mike and all other speakers – I hope you can join us online on 12 September.
Caroline Gumble is CEO of CIOB
