Initiatives for student-industry engagement: Discussion Session

Alexandra Jane Wyatt MacLaren; Mohamed Samir Abdel-Wahab

Abstract

Student-industry engagement is paramount for experiential learning in built environment-related degree programmes. Initiatives such as CONSTRUCTIONARIUM, TEAMBUILD, CEMENT, MERIT,...etc provide students with an opportunity to build-up their experience in the construction industry. Employers are concerned about student’s readiness for employment and therefore universities are keen to demonstrate effective preparedness of their graduates for work in the modern construction industry. An increasing number of initiatives attempt to support student’s readiness for the workplace, but there is no current synthesis of the landscape of student-industry engagement for sharing good practice.
The recent publication on ‘the future of professionalism’ by Paul Morrell for the Edge Commission, highlights the importance of Industry engagement, and ‘Collaboration for Change’. In addition, the Lambert Review of ‘Business-University collaboration’ pointed out the employer’s concern of the mismatch between the courses offered at universities and skills required. Therefore, the aim of this discussion session is to provoke a critical analysis of existing initiatives, highlighting the scope, discipline covered, professional/industry endorsements, integration within the curriculum,...etc.
The session will commence with an overview of some existing initiatives [as noted above], highlighting distinctive qualities and similarities/differences along with some of the lessons learned.
The subsequent discussion will be guided by the following questions:
1) How can the cyclical, fast-paced timetable of academic semesters effectively engage meaningfully with industry? What is the best form and optimum length of a student-industry engagement experience?
2) At what stage are student-industry engagement projects most appropriate, and most beneficial i/ to the students ii/ to industry
3) How do universities’ administrative and qualification systems (e.g. multi-mode/multi-campus - internationalisation) affect/constrain student-industry interaction?
4) How can professional bodies benefit from the existing initiatives for student-industry engagement?
5) How is industry incentivised to engage with university students? (e.g. INSPIRE scholarships)?

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 4 Sept 2015
Event	Innovation in Built Environment Education 2015 - University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom Duration: 3 Sept 2015 → 4 Sept 2015

Conference

Conference	Innovation in Built Environment Education 2015
Abbreviated title	iBEE 2015
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Bath
Period	3/09/15 → 4/09/15

Keywords

Construction industry
Education
Collaboration
Higher Education
professionalism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Building and Construction
Civil and Structural Engineering
Architecture

Cite this

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title = "Initiatives for student-industry engagement: Discussion Session",

abstract = "Student-industry engagement is paramount for experiential learning in built environment-related degree programmes. Initiatives such as CONSTRUCTIONARIUM, TEAMBUILD, CEMENT, MERIT,...etc provide students with an opportunity to build-up their experience in the construction industry. Employers are concerned about student{\textquoteright}s readiness for employment and therefore universities are keen to demonstrate effective preparedness of their graduates for work in the modern construction industry. An increasing number of initiatives attempt to support student{\textquoteright}s readiness for the workplace, but there is no current synthesis of the landscape of student-industry engagement for sharing good practice.The recent publication on {\textquoteleft}the future of professionalism{\textquoteright} by Paul Morrell for the Edge Commission, highlights the importance of Industry engagement, and {\textquoteleft}Collaboration for Change{\textquoteright}. In addition, the Lambert Review of {\textquoteleft}Business-University collaboration{\textquoteright} pointed out the employer{\textquoteright}s concern of the mismatch between the courses offered at universities and skills required. Therefore, the aim of this discussion session is to provoke a critical analysis of existing initiatives, highlighting the scope, discipline covered, professional/industry endorsements, integration within the curriculum,...etc. The session will commence with an overview of some existing initiatives [as noted above], highlighting distinctive qualities and similarities/differences along with some of the lessons learned.The subsequent discussion will be guided by the following questions: 1) How can the cyclical, fast-paced timetable of academic semesters effectively engage meaningfully with industry? What is the best form and optimum length of a student-industry engagement experience?2) At what stage are student-industry engagement projects most appropriate, and most beneficial i/ to the students ii/ to industry3) How do universities{\textquoteright} administrative and qualification systems (e.g. multi-mode/multi-campus - internationalisation) affect/constrain student-industry interaction?4) How can professional bodies benefit from the existing initiatives for student-industry engagement? 5) How is industry incentivised to engage with university students? (e.g. INSPIRE scholarships)?",

keywords = "Construction industry, Education, Collaboration, Higher Education, professionalism",

author = "MacLaren, {Alexandra Jane Wyatt} and Abdel-Wahab, {Mohamed Samir}",

year = "2015",

month = sep,

day = "4",

language = "English",

note = "Innovation in Built Environment Education 2015, iBEE 2015 ; Conference date: 03-09-2015 Through 04-09-2015",

}

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T1 - Initiatives for student-industry engagement

T2 - Innovation in Built Environment Education 2015

AU - MacLaren, Alexandra Jane Wyatt

AU - Abdel-Wahab, Mohamed Samir

PY - 2015/9/4

Y1 - 2015/9/4

N2 - Student-industry engagement is paramount for experiential learning in built environment-related degree programmes. Initiatives such as CONSTRUCTIONARIUM, TEAMBUILD, CEMENT, MERIT,...etc provide students with an opportunity to build-up their experience in the construction industry. Employers are concerned about student’s readiness for employment and therefore universities are keen to demonstrate effective preparedness of their graduates for work in the modern construction industry. An increasing number of initiatives attempt to support student’s readiness for the workplace, but there is no current synthesis of the landscape of student-industry engagement for sharing good practice.The recent publication on ‘the future of professionalism’ by Paul Morrell for the Edge Commission, highlights the importance of Industry engagement, and ‘Collaboration for Change’. In addition, the Lambert Review of ‘Business-University collaboration’ pointed out the employer’s concern of the mismatch between the courses offered at universities and skills required. Therefore, the aim of this discussion session is to provoke a critical analysis of existing initiatives, highlighting the scope, discipline covered, professional/industry endorsements, integration within the curriculum,...etc. The session will commence with an overview of some existing initiatives [as noted above], highlighting distinctive qualities and similarities/differences along with some of the lessons learned.The subsequent discussion will be guided by the following questions: 1) How can the cyclical, fast-paced timetable of academic semesters effectively engage meaningfully with industry? What is the best form and optimum length of a student-industry engagement experience?2) At what stage are student-industry engagement projects most appropriate, and most beneficial i/ to the students ii/ to industry3) How do universities’ administrative and qualification systems (e.g. multi-mode/multi-campus - internationalisation) affect/constrain student-industry interaction?4) How can professional bodies benefit from the existing initiatives for student-industry engagement? 5) How is industry incentivised to engage with university students? (e.g. INSPIRE scholarships)?

AB - Student-industry engagement is paramount for experiential learning in built environment-related degree programmes. Initiatives such as CONSTRUCTIONARIUM, TEAMBUILD, CEMENT, MERIT,...etc provide students with an opportunity to build-up their experience in the construction industry. Employers are concerned about student’s readiness for employment and therefore universities are keen to demonstrate effective preparedness of their graduates for work in the modern construction industry. An increasing number of initiatives attempt to support student’s readiness for the workplace, but there is no current synthesis of the landscape of student-industry engagement for sharing good practice.The recent publication on ‘the future of professionalism’ by Paul Morrell for the Edge Commission, highlights the importance of Industry engagement, and ‘Collaboration for Change’. In addition, the Lambert Review of ‘Business-University collaboration’ pointed out the employer’s concern of the mismatch between the courses offered at universities and skills required. Therefore, the aim of this discussion session is to provoke a critical analysis of existing initiatives, highlighting the scope, discipline covered, professional/industry endorsements, integration within the curriculum,...etc. The session will commence with an overview of some existing initiatives [as noted above], highlighting distinctive qualities and similarities/differences along with some of the lessons learned.The subsequent discussion will be guided by the following questions: 1) How can the cyclical, fast-paced timetable of academic semesters effectively engage meaningfully with industry? What is the best form and optimum length of a student-industry engagement experience?2) At what stage are student-industry engagement projects most appropriate, and most beneficial i/ to the students ii/ to industry3) How do universities’ administrative and qualification systems (e.g. multi-mode/multi-campus - internationalisation) affect/constrain student-industry interaction?4) How can professional bodies benefit from the existing initiatives for student-industry engagement? 5) How is industry incentivised to engage with university students? (e.g. INSPIRE scholarships)?

KW - Construction industry

KW - Education

KW - Collaboration

KW - Higher Education

KW - professionalism

M3 - Abstract

Y2 - 3 September 2015 through 4 September 2015