Bellcurve: Built Environment Lifelong Learning Challenging University Responses to Vocational Education: Lifelong University for the Built Environment

BELLCURVE (Built Environment Lifelong Learning Challenging University Responses to Vocational Education) is a European Commission funded research project conducted at the School of the Built Environment, University of Salford, UK, in collaboration with Department of Construction Economics and Property Management, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania and Department of Building Production, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia. This project addressed issues associated with the mismatch between graduate skills and labour market requirements as this mismatch has been identified as one of the main factors behind graduate unemployment and employer dissatisfaction, particularly in the Built Environment (BE) sector. BELLCURVE considered ‘student engagement’ as a continuous through-life process rather than a temporary traditional engagement limited by the course duration. This through-life studentship defines the essence of the new innovative “Lifelong University” concept, whereby providing an opportunity for learners to acquire and develop skills and knowledge enabling responds to changing construction labour market needs on a continuous basis. This requires a reform in governance systems to respond labour market needs effectively while promoting the lifelong learning agenda

Addressing the construction labour market skills mismatch through lifelong learning in higher education institutions

The mismatch between graduate skills and labour market skills requirements has been identified as one of the main factors behind graduate unemployment and employer dissatisfaction, particularly in the Built Environment sector. Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), despite being a body for knowledge creation and sharing, do not seem to adequately address this mismatch. Built Environment Lifelong Learning Challenging University Responses to Vocational Education (BELLCURVE) collaborative research project aims to identify the ways to reform the HEIs in order to make them more responsive to the labour market skills requirements and in turn to reduce the mismatch. This conceptual paper discusses the changing nature of the construction labour market skills requirements. The conceptual framework governing the research project and the research methodology are presented. The role of BE professionals in addressing such requirements are also discussed giving particular focus on professionals attached to disaster management and quantity surveying sectors. Disaster management (context base sector) and quantity surveying (trade base sector) have been identified by the project as two specific sectors to be focused in promoting the lifelong learning due to the constantly changing knowledge and skill base of these sectors. The responsiveness of HEIs to minimise the mismatch and to support the lifelong learning through governance reform is explained

Reforming HEIs for through-life sustainability of construction professionals

BELLCURVE research project aims to promote the concept of ‘lifelong university’ in modernising Higher Education Institutes to be more responsive to labour market skills needs by continuously improving the skills and knowledge of the construction professionals. This paper briefly explains improving such responsiveness of HEIs through governance reform. Initial conceptual framework and the research methodology are illustrated. In responding to labour market skills requirements, the need for sector and context specific skills and knowledge to the construction professionals is emphasised. Lifelong learning on Disaster Management and Quantity Surveying sectors are considered as proposed case study areas

Reforming HEI to improve skills and knowledge on disaster resilience among construction professionals

The built environment is significantly affected by disasters. Firstly, built facilities are expected to withstand such situations. Secondly, the construction industry is expected to play a pivotal role in reconstruction of damaged property & infrastructure. Such responses also call for technological and managerial innovation. Therefore it is important that construction professionals receive continuous skill development to respond to disaster situations and to a disaster resilient built environment. BELLCURVE research project aims to promote the concept of ‘lifelong university’ in modernising Higher Education Institutes (HEI) to be more responsive to labour market skills needs. BELLCURVE focuses on the role HEIs play in continuous improvement of the skills and knowledge on disaster resilience among the construction professionals. In this paper an overview of the role of built environment professionals in the context of disaster is presented, and the related demand and supply side issues are discussed. The need to improve responsiveness of HEIs through modernisation of higher education to improve the quality and efficiency of education and training is further explained. Initial conceptual framework of the research is presented. Literature reviewed identified peculiarities of post-disaster reconstruction, justifying the need to provide sector and context specific skills and knowledge to the construction professional. The review also cover issues associated with education and training from HEIs to the construction professional, and also focus on integrating the construction labour market skills needs to the modernisation agenda of the HEIs. In this regard, modernisation of HEI through governance reform is highlighted. Disaster resilience is considered as a test case. The initial conceptual model with the methodology adopted to develop, refine and test the model is also briefed. This paper is expected to stimulate debate as well as be a supportive resource to towards improving skills and knowledge on disaster resilience among construction professionals

Effective Stakeholder Management for Inclusive Post-Flood Management: Sri Lanka as a Case Study

This study aimed to examine post-flood management, with a particular focus on enhancing the inclusivity of marginalised communities through stakeholder analysis. This study was based on an interpretivist mixed method approach, under which 30 semi-structured stakeholder interviews were conducted. Interest versus power versus actual engagement matrix, social network analysis, and thematic analysis techniques were employed under the stakeholder analysis tool to analyse the collected data. The findings highlight the lack of clearly defined responsibilities among key stakeholders. Marginalised communities and community-based organisations have a high level of interests but a low level of power in decision making, resulting in weak engagement and the exclusion of their perceptions. This lack of collaboration and coordination among stakeholders has made marginalised communities more vulnerable in post-flood situations, as their interests are not defended. The findings emphasise the importance of conducting stakeholder analysis in the decision-making process to enhance stakeholder engagement and interaction, as well as promote inclusivity of marginalised communities in the post-flood recovery efforts of the government. Finally, this study recommends developing strategies to improve collaboration among stakeholders, fostering inclusiveness and customising these strategies according to the different types of stakeholders identified through stakeholder analysis

Challenges faced by marginalized communities in a post-disaster context: a systematic review of the literature

© 2023 The Authors. Published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151410754Many international organizations embrace the ideals of resilience and inclusion in the service of marginalized communities but neglect their inclusion in post-disaster settings. It is imperative to explore the challenges faced by marginalized communities to increase their inclusion in the post-disaster context. Therefore, this paper presents a systematic literature review of the challenges facing marginalized communities in the post-disaster context. The study identified 57 challenges faced by children, women, people with disabilities, and older adults under six categories: social, health, political, infrastructure, economic, and communication. The most common challenges all four marginalized communities face are the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, the struggle to acquire the necessities of life due to unequal distribution, the lack of income-generating opportunities, and sexual and gender-based violence. Most studies focus on women’s challenges, followed by those of children, older adults, and persons with disabilities. The study also explored the challenges faced in terms of intersectionality, experienced by groups of people who fall under more than one marginalized community. Finally, a conceptual framework was developed to improve the inclusion of marginalized communities during the post-disaster context by incorporating the challenges as one of the key components of the framework.Published onlin

Policy-level consideration on marginalised communities in the post-disaster context: a desk study

Natural disasters have a disproportionate influence on the lives of those impacted, with the most marginalised often bearing the brunt of the repercussions. As a result, marginalised communities should be expressly considered in post-disaster policy development. While the international community has adopted the concepts of resilience and inclusion, marginalised communities are frequently disregarded in post-disaster management. There is a dearth of literature on the engagement of marginalised communities in Sri Lanka's post-disaster context. Moreover, the policies to support the marginalised communities need to be reviewed to explore the extent to which such policies are implemented to benefit the disadvantaged groups in a disaster situation. Therefore, this paper aims to review the existing policies to improve the engagement of marginalised communities during the post-disaster context in Sri Lanka. To achieve the aim, a comprehensive desk study on significant global and national policies was carried out. Through the desk study, the policies and frameworks related to disaster management were explored in order to identify the inclusion of marginalised communities in the post-disaster context. The policies related to marginalised communities were further explored in order to identify the inclusion of them in post-disaster situations. Finally, the study confirmed that a refinement of the policies in the Sri Lankan context is crucial. Furthermore, as a way forward, the study suggested assessing the current level of implementation of existing policies as well as barriers to implementation in order to increase the inclusion of marginalised communities in Sri Lanka's post-disaster context

Disaster Resilience Education and Research Roadmap for Europe 2030 : ANDROID Report

A disaster resilience education and research roadmap for Europe 2030 has been launched. This roadmap represents an important output of the ANDROID disaster resilience network, bringing together existing literature in the field, as well as the results of various analysis and study projects undertaken by project partners.The roadmap sets out five key challenges and opportunities in moving from 2015 to 2030 and aimed at addressing the challenges of the recently announced Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. This roadmap was developed as part of the ANDROID Disaster Resilience Network, led by Professor Richard Haigh of the Global Disaster Resilience Centre (www.hud.ac.uk/gdrc ) at the School of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Huddersfield, UK. The ANDROID consortium of applied, human, social and natural scientists, supported by international organisations and a stakeholder board, worked together to map the field in disaster resilience education, pool their results and findings, develop interdisciplinary explanations, develop capacity, move forward innovative education agendas, discuss methods, and inform policy development. Further information on ANDROID Disaster Resilience network is available at: http://www.disaster-resilience.netAn ANDROID Disaster Resilience Network ReportANDROI