Industry Academia Collaboration
in the Built Environment
Training the Trainers program at Liverpool John Moores University. UK
A 3-days’ Training the Trainers program was organized by Dr. Anupa Manewa at Liverpool John Moores University. UK between 23rd May 2023 and 25th May 2023.
The team included Dr. Anurag Kashyap, Principal, BNCA; Dr. Vaishali Anagal, project coordinator, Dr. Sujata Karve and Dr. Sharvey Dhongde as Indian Academic partners and Engg. Jayant Inamdar as representative of Industry partner, PCERF, Pune visited LJMU, UK for the training program.
The visit included research activities and site visits to construction projects including Everton Football stadium at Liverpool and St. Catholic school at Rickmansworth, a visit to Liverpool John Moores University for various activities. Following activities were conducted during the 3-days program:
• A team of professors visited Everton Football stadium site. Quantity Surveyor Racheal Jack and Digital engineer Anisha Begum presented the digital management of the construction project. Mr. Steve, project manager explained the construction technology used for the project during the site visit.
The digital engineer at Everton Football stadium offered a presentation on the use the digital technologies in the construction and project management of ongoing construction of football stadium.
• Prof. Vaishali Anagal presented the research findings of the stage 1 research conducted by BNCA team.
• A meeting was conducted between BNCA team and Dr. Jin Wang, FET Research Director at LJMU to discuss the future collaborations for research projects.
• Mr. Shaun Mckee, Senior Quantity Surveyor at Tetra Tech presented the apprenticeship program at Tetra Tech. A discussion was conducted between BNCA team and Mr. Shaun Mckee on skills challenges in construction industry and apprenticeship program.
• A demonstration on SPOT DOG (a walking indoor and outdoor 3D scanner) was conducted by Dr. Layth Kraidi, LJMU.
• A meeting was conducted between BNCA team and Dr. Keith George, vice chancellor- Research, LJMU, Dr. Ndy Ekere, Dean – FET, and Dr. Mike Riley- Director CECB to discuss the future collaborations between BNCA and the department of built environment at LJMU for joint research projects, twinning programs, joint studios etc. BNCA publications were presented to the LJMU team.
• The BNCA team visit to Maritime simulator at LJMU and had an hands on experience on Maritime Simulator.
• Dr. Helen Jermark presented their current research project in Astrophysics to BNCA faculty.
BNCA faculty visited Exemplar houses constructed within the campus of LJMU as a part of their research and innovation in housing project
• BNCA team visited the department Architecture at LJMU and had a meeting with Dr. Ian Wroot, Head of Architecture and Arts and Design department. He presented works of undergraduate and post graduate students. BNCA faculty visited the studios of graduate and post graduate programs in arts, fashion technology and Architecture and also the fab lab, wood working lab and other few labs at achitecture department. There was a detailed discussion on future collaborations for joint studios, workshops, research projects, twinning programs between BNCA and Department of Architecture at LJMU. BNCA faculty presented BNCA publications to the Dr. Ian Wroot.
• BNCA team visited a construction project site at Rickmansworth executed by Kier Constructions, one of the leading construction companies in UK.
Both the institutes agreed upon taking the collaboration between the institutes forward as a part of outcomes of the on-going research project funded by the British Council.
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Following common research areas were identified for future collaborations:
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Housing technologies
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De-carbonization and net zero energy construction practices
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Research on construction materials especially clay for façade design in collaboration with an industry partner
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Housing- adaptable and flexible housing, reuse through adaptations
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Urban Design- Contextual response
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Use of Virtual Reality technology for teaching, learning and collaborative design processes
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During the visit to Liverpool John Moores University, there was an extensive discussion on the research agenda of both institutes among the faculty members. Common research areas were identified during the discussions and a lot of avenues of collaboration including joint research, joint studios, joint workshops, students’ exchange, and consortium with industry partners, twinning programs, and dual degrees were discussed. These joint activities would benefit the faculty and students of both institutes at a larger vel. An MoU of collaboration for conducting these activities is under process which will be established in the purview of the National Education Policy 2020 which has paved a way for collaboration between Indian institutes and Foreign Universities.
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The training the trainers program held at LJMU during 23rd May 2023 and 25th may 2023 offered BNCA faculty and industry representative an exposure to construction practices, technological advances, integration of digital technologies in construction, safety parameters, construction project management practices adopted in UK. It also offered an exposure to advanced technologies used for teaching and learning at undergraduate, post-graduate programs and for research.