173 students from six European universities collaborate on real-life FM challenges in Heerlen.
In early October 2025, 173 students from four countries and six universities worked side by side for a week during the EuroFM International Autumn School FM, hosted by Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in Heerlen, the Netherlands. The program teaches Facility Management students how to collaborate across borders while gaining insight into how cultural differences influence their field. Working together and competing for the win.
The challenges for this edition? Assisting the Municipality of Heerlen in resolving contractual issues related to a DBMO agreement (Design, Build, Maintain & Operate) and advising the wellness resort Thermae 2000 in Valkenburg on how to enhance the visitor experience through a guest journey approach.
Excitement and Fun
From Monday 6 to Friday 10 October, mixed student teams from Zuyd, FH Kufstein (Austria), DHBW Stuttgart (Germany), UCLL and Helb Brussels (Belgium), and The Hague University of Applied Sciences engaged in a thrilling competition. Scores were tracked daily on a leaderboard, adding extra excitement to the week. Teams had to outdo each other by delivering strong solutions for the clients. The winning team walked away with a cheque sponsored by EuroFM for €2,000, covering travel and accommodation costs for a visit to the EuroFM conference in Trondheim.
EuroFM Honours Excellence with Awards at Conference Dinner in Trondheim
During the EuroFM Conference in Trondheim, Norway, the EuroFM community gathered for a festive and inspiring award ceremony held during the conference dinner. The evening provided a moment to pause and celebrate excellence within the Facility Management profession, recognising individuals and initiatives that are making a meaningful impact across industry, research and education. In total, three EuroFM Awards were presented, each highlighting a different dimension of professional excellence and reflecting the diverse strengths of the EuroFM network.
Best Industry Initiative
The Best Industry Initiative Award recognises organisations that push the boundaries of Facility Management through innovation, impact and a strong societal vision. This year’s winner was XUKRA, founded by Mais Taha in Malta.
XUKRA impressed the jury with its human-centred, sustainability-driven approach to workplace management. Rather than focusing solely on operational efficiency, XUKRA integrates wellbeing, inclusivity and ESG principles into everyday workplace practices. Through a positivity-driven digital platform, the organisation promotes recognition, transparency and engagement, while linking employee reward systems to environmentally responsible choices.
The jury highlighted XUKRA’s rapid growth, international relevance and clear focus on impact over profit alone. Their approach demonstrates how Facility Management can actively shape organisational culture and contribute to healthier, more ethical and future-ready workplaces.
Other nominated initiatives for the Business Industry Initiative Award were Shukri Habib and Qualitas, both recognised for their valuable contributions to the industry.
Best Paper Award
The EuroFM Best Paper Award honours outstanding academic research that advances knowledge in Facility Management and connects theory with practice. This year, three high-quality papers were nominated. The award was ultimately presented to Bintang Prabowo for the paper Community-Based Facility Management in an Urban Experiment Area: Case Svartlamon.
The jury praised the paper for its conceptual ambition, originality and strong alignment with the conference theme “Social FM”. The research contributes to emerging debates on Urban FM and socially sustainable placemaking, offering valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners.
The other nominated papers were Two types of hybrid workers by Deniz Tuzcuoglu et al., and The Impact of Lighting and Indoor Air Quality on Students’ Comfort and Performance by Wim Krijnen et al. All three papers were recognised as strong contributions to the field.
Best Teacher Award
Education is a cornerstone of the Facility Management profession, and the EuroFM Best Teacher Award celebrates those who inspire and prepare the next generation of FM professionals. The EuroFM Board selected Professor Morten Gjerde (NTNU) as this year’s winner, in recognition of his outstanding educational leadership and long-term impact on FM education.
The nominees for the Best Teacher Award 2025 were the DEEP COIL Team, Shady Yehia, Lukas Windlinger and Morten Gjerde. Professor Gjerde was nominated by students, colleagues and departmental leadership, reflecting his broad influence within the academic community. Under his guidance, the NTNU master programme has developed into one of the few programmes in Europe where Facility Management plays a central role. His work is characterised by a strong connection between research and practice, a clear focus on sustainability, and an inclusive, future-oriented learning environment.
Celebrating impact across the EuroFM community
EuroFM congratulates all award winners and nominees and thanks them for their dedication, inspiration and contributions to the advancement of Facility Management. The award ceremony in Trondheim was not only a celebration of individual achievements, but also a reflection of the strength, diversity and forward-looking spirit of the EuroFM community.
Highlights from EuroFM Conference 2025: Shaping the Future of FM in Trondheim
From 1 to 3 December, the beautiful city of Trondheim, Norway, became the beating heart of the European Facility Management community. In close collaboration with NTNU and with the support of NBEF, Multiconsult and Oxid lQ, EuroFM proudly hosted its 30th annual conference alongside the 24th EuroFM Research Symposium. And what an inspiring few days it turned out to be!
Over three days, facility management practitioners, researchers, lecturers, students and industry stakeholders from across Europe came together to exchange knowledge, challenge assumptions and explore how we can collectively shape the future of Facility Management. The conference once again demonstrated the strength of the EuroFM community. Diverse perspectives, open dialogue and a shared ambition to move the profession forward were present in every session and conversation.
The program offered a rich mix of keynotes, paper presentations, workshops and interactive discussions, all centred around the evolving role of Facility Management in society. A strong focus was placed on creating workplaces that foster social connection and a true sense of belonging.
Participants explored how FM can actively contribute to social sustainability, not only within organisations but also in the wider urban context. Circularity, revitalisation and regeneration strategies were discussed as essential approaches to making better use of existing buildings and infrastructure.
Another important theme was engagement and participation. Sessions highlighted how participatory approaches can empower users, owners and other stakeholders, leading to more resilient and future-proof workplace solutions. Diversity and inclusiveness were also high on the agenda, including discussions on gender balance and neurodiversity in the workplace, and how FM professionals can actively support inclusive environments.
Ethics and responsibility played a key role as well. With the growing use of data and AI in Facility Management, participants reflected on ethical considerations, governance and integrity. These discussions underlined the importance of using technology in a way that supports people, organisations and society in a responsible and transparent manner.
Finally, the conference looked beyond individual buildings towards cities and communities. Innovative approaches to urban FM and place-making showed how the profession can help shape sustainable, liveable and inclusive environments at a larger scale.
Celebrating Excellence: The EuroFM Awards
During the conference, the EuroFM Awards celebrated outstanding research contributions, industry initiatives and best teachers from the past year. These awards highlight the quality, relevance and impact of FM within the EuroFM network. During the Charity Dinner on day 1, three EuroFM Awards were presented, celebrating excellence and impact within the Facility Management community.
Best Industry Initiative Award Awarded to XUKRA (founder: Mais Taha) for its human-centred and sustainability-driven approach to workplace management. Other nominees were Shukri Habib and Qualitas.
Best Paper Award 2025 Awarded to Bintang Prabowo for Community-Based Facility Management in an Urban Experiment Area: Case Svartlamon. Other nominated papers were authored by Deniz Tuzcuoglu et al. and Wim Krijnen et al.
Best Teacher Award 2025 Awarded to Professor Morten Gjerde (NTNU). Other nominees were the DEEP COIL Team, Shady Yehia and Lukas Windlinger.
From knowledge sharing to real-life inspiration
The first two days of the conference were fully dedicated to knowledge sharing, dialogue and collaboration. Researchers and practitioners met on equal footing, creating valuable connections between theory and practice. This exchange is at the core of EuroFM’s mission and was strongly reflected throughout the program.
The third day offered participants a unique and memorable experience. A visit to the iconic ski jumps at Granåsen provided a behind-the-scenes look at how this world-class sports venue is managed from a facility perspective. The site visit, combined with an insightful presentation by the local FM team, offered a powerful example of operational excellence, innovation and long-term asset management in practice.
Student Challenge
The EuroFM Student Challenge 2025 brought together students from across Europe to explore how Facility Management can actively contribute to a more socially sustainable and inclusive future. Working in international teams, participants investigated social sustainability from their local contexts, co-created concepts and tested their ideas during the EuroFM Conference in Trondheim in dialogue with researchers and FM professionals.
The winning team, Kadi Matla, Dimitri Wolfisberg and Elyne Rip, impressed the jury with a practical and impactful solution: a beautifully designed, easy-to-use checklist that helps organisations actively embed inclusivity into their daily practices and organisational culture. Their concept clearly demonstrated how FM can move from intention to action, supporting inclusive workplaces in a structured and accessible way. Download their ckecklist for success here!
Looking ahead
EuroFM would like to thank all speakers, authors, moderators, partners and participants for their energy, insights and commitment. Your contributions made these days in Trondheim truly inspiring and impactful. We look forward to continuing this journey together and to further strengthening the connection between research, education and practice within Facility Management. We hope to welcome you again at the next EuroFM Conference.
EuroFM is pleased to announce the appointment of two new board members, Asaël Akkerman (Netherlands) and Nikos Vasilopoulos (Greece), following their unanimous approval during the General Members Meeting on 9 December 2025. Their addition marks an important step in strengthening EuroFM’s strategic direction, broadening regional representation and ensuring a balanced mix of expertise within the Board.
Bringing research, practice and European diversity closer together
Both newly appointed members bring a strong international perspective and a deep commitment to the future of the facility management profession. Their backgrounds reflect EuroFM’s core mission: connecting research, education, and practice across Europe.
Asaël Akkerman: connecting applied research and FM practice
Based in the Netherlands, Asaël Akkerman is a recognised thought leader in workplace strategies and a board member at Workplaced. He works on improving people, buildings and services, combining a background in hospitality, business administration and facility management with applied research. After completing his hotel management studies and an MBA in Facility Management, he built extensive experience as an FM practitioner in complex, dynamic environments. Previously, he served on the executive board of Spacewell and was a partner at Cushman & Wakefield.
Asaël works at Workplaced, where he collaborates closely with a team of researchers. His day-to-day work revolves around translating research insights into practical, strategic value for organisations. During his introduction, he emphasised how EuroFM plays a unique role in uniting the European FM research landscape, and expressed his ambition to help strengthen the collaboration between universities, practitioners and national FM communities.
“I see enormous potential in creating stronger country-to-country connections and in making research more accessible to the wider FM field,” he shared during the meeting. “EuroFM is one of the few organisations in Europe that truly bridges these worlds.”
Nikos Vasilopoulos: championing innovation and the role of AI in FM
Nikos Vasilopoulos lives in Athens and works in his role as in-house Facilities Manager for GWI, an international AI-driven market research company. His passion lies in the intersection between technology and the human workplace. According to Nikos, the rapidly expanding possibilities of artificial intelligence present an enormous opportunity for FM professionals to enhance workplace experience, decision-making and operational efficiency.
Nikos first connected with EuroFM during World Workplace Europe, where he immediately recognised the value of an international FM knowledge network. As a board member, he aims to give stronger representation to Southern Europe, contribute fresh perspectives on digitalisation and innovation, and help engage regions where FM is still emerging as a formal discipline.
“In many countries in Southern Europe, FM is evolving quickly but inconsistently,” he explained. “EuroFM can be a powerful connector and accelerator, and I would like to help build those bridges.”
Strengthening EuroFM’s future
With the appointment of Asaël and Nikos, the EuroFM Board expands to eight members, enabling better distribution of responsibilities and allowing EuroFM to respond more effectively to its growing portfolio of activities across Europe. Their combination of practical FM experience, research affinity and international orientation aligns strongly with EuroFM’s ambitions for 2026 and beyond.
EuroFM warmly welcomes both board members and looks forward to their contributions to the network, its members, and the broader FM community.
