The University of the Built Environment has appointed Mark Farmer to chair a new forum to unite industry leaders in shaping the future of the sector.
The employer-led Built Environment Futures Assembly (BEFA) will bring together diverse voices from across industry, government, professional bodies and education to address the sector’s most pressing challenges.
Farmer, who was founder of specialist construction consultancy Cast, was appointed by successive governments to lead major reviews into the sector.
Farmer said: “Our sector urgently needs to break down its traditional professional silos and work together in new, more integrated ways to address the changing educational and skills needs of practitioners. BEFA provides a much-needed platform for collective leadership, harnessing collaborative thinking that reflects the future of built environment professional practice. I’m excited to be working with partners from all corners of the sector to make this happen.”
Ashley Wheaton, vice chancellor, University of the Built Environment, added: “The university is delighted to support BEFA to help it amplify specialist voices and share best practice. BEFA’s structure, with industry-led workstreams and active stakeholder participation, ensures activities are demand-led, but also informed by the university’s experience of long-term skills development.”
