The Education Engagement Model

In December 2020, we launched our Education Bulletin, in which I wrote about our work in developing a brand-new Education Engagement Model. This model is a strategic fit and response to the CIOB’s corporate strategy plan 2020-23.

Fast forward six months and the Education Engagement Model has formed. Of course, a full year was dedicated to the research, plan, design and launch of this project (May 2020-May 2021).

What is this Education Engagement Model, I hear you ask?

Well, it is to bring closer engagements with our education establishments; students; our academics and related stakeholders, several tools and measures have been introduced:

a) The Accreditation process was reviewed by the Accreditation Panel at the CIOB. With the introduction of 50% reduction to academic membership in January 2019, the CIOB now recommends teaching staff to be working towards their MCIOB or FCIOB status as a minimum requirement of the accreditation process. The Accreditation Panel also want to see institutions demonstrate how they develop their student’s confidence and skills to enable them to challenge unethical and unsafe practices in the workplace.

b) The clear definition of routes to membership for our academic community was needed. A Chartered CIOB academic will not only stand out amongst their peers but will also contribute to the translation of continuous professional development in to teaching and learning thus building an impact in student satisfaction rates and intuitional level pegging. Therefore, a dedicated academic pathway to the Chartership that has been designated. Tailored professional review workshops are now delivered internationally by the Qualifications Liaison Manager, working closely with all regional hubs across the globe. Reach out to your local hub managers to get started on your chartership route to MCIOB.

c) Coaching workshops for deferred candidates of the Professional Review is a new and structured offer to all candidates. This small group approach offers a personal touch and motivates candidates to quickly re-submit their applications because we care and want our members to achieve their chartership and utilise MCIOB status.

d) A dedicated new student video to support in raising awareness of the CIOB and the benefits to ‘student membership’, which is free for full time students. Our student community is 8000 strong and growing - why not encourage your students to join a global networking group and meet passionate built environment professionals and students alike? The student video would look very nice on campus screens and by way of introducing professional bodies into your curriculum delivery, upload it to your virtual learning environments (VLE’s)… it’s got a nice tune to it!

e) A virtual CIOB Student Festival has been established. Thank you for encouraging your students to take part in our very first Student Festival on the 7-8 April 2021. A full two-day event was dedicated to informing, inspiring and celebrating our student community. One hundred and eighty-eight delegates attended the event over the two days and 24 countries were represented from across the world. A collaboration between twenty-eight contributors globally provided a diverse range of content which appealed to the delegates. The Student Festival will be an annual feature on the CIOB calendar. Save the date: 9-10 March 2022!

f) A new recognition for student engagement is with the use of ‘digital certificates’ and using LinkedIn to bring about early integration to the professional setting of young talent. Our Regional Hubs’ across the globe all utilise a LinkedIn group, which our student members are encouraged to join these professional groups and become involved in the ‘conversations’. This includes celebrating achievements. To date, this practice has garnered good responses from the student community, and you will continue to see from your own LinkedIn threads the activities your own students as well as other student members are delivering in your regions.

I am positive that our new Education Engagement Model will bring about a greater sense of belonging, inclusion and opportunities to collaborate and add value to all concerned. If you feel you have ideas and or comments to share, please email Hassana Ahmed, Qualifications Liaison Manager using the email address: [email protected]

Hassana Ahmed’s career is strongly embedded in developing careers of others. She began by engaging young people in STEM careers followed by a role as enterprise and entrepreneurship education educator at HEI’s, developing budding entrepreneurs of tomorrow and skilled graduates for industry globally. 

Hassana Ahmed is a Fellow of the Advanced HE and works on the Education and Standard Division at the CIOB.

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