Opportunities and challenges for construction education in Australia

The university education of construction professionals is unique as curricula straddle diverse areas, including technology, design, law, management and finance. Opportunities for would-be construction managers, quantity surveyors and building surveyors (hereafter referred to as "construction" practitioners) are extensive. Despite the global financial crisis, recruitment to construction degree programs in Australia is buoyant with over 1000 professionals graduating annually. This paper reports on a recently completed Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) discipline based initiative project grant. It briefly describes the way in which the project was conducted, and then identifies current issues, opportunities and challenges facing the construction disciplines. The report raises awareness of the disciplines' characteristics and boundaries. It highlights directions for future change, and provides foci for future investigations.