University of Westminster launches free digital construction online short course

June 2016

The Department of Property and Construction at the University of Westminster is launching a new Digital Construction MOOC (Massive, Open, Online Course) in collaboration with The B1M.

As digital technology advances, the technological practices of the construction industry are lagging behind other industries. The creators of the course set out to help practitioners respond to the rapidly changing industry and adjust working practices accordingly. On this MOOC, participants will collaborate online to learn about the potential of digital technology in their everyday practices, to manage data to improve their own productivity and profitability.

A principal aim of the course is to give people at all levels in the industry the confidence to challenge existing working practices and start to integrate digital approaches into their work.

The free four-week course is completely flexible, and can be completed comfortably in three or four hours a week. There is also an optional quiz each week to test the knowledge gained on the course. There is no fixed timetable, meaning that people can dip in-and-out of the course.

The course is led by Senior Lecturer Rob Garvey and Principal Lecturer Tony Burke from the University’s Department of Property and Construction, and is organised in partnership with The B1M and with the support of the London BIM Region.

Speaking about the course, Tony Burke said: "We are very excited about the potential of our first ever MOOC. The course draws on the work which Rob Garvey has done for our Building Information Management MSc course, and our experience in online, collaborative learning. We have designed the course to actively involve participants in the learning process and to utilise the expertise and extensive resources of The B1M, our innovative industrial partner."

The course starts on 20 June. Register now or find out more about the Digital Construction MOOC at the University of Westminster .