The focus of the Education Group are students and their lecturers, specifically universities and their Facility Management programs. In addition, this group includes members of EuroFM who are not affiliated to universities but who have a strong interest in the educational field and who provide training related to the FM profession.
Through personal relations and organizing exchange & international teamwork the Education Group hopes to inspire students and their lecturers to actively join in networking both through physical and online platforms. Not only for social networking where members can exchange knowledge and receive commentary and input on new ideas. Indeed sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, helping each other to become part of the FM profession will aid in it’s future development. Education group aiming for a powerful platform where open, transparent and sustainable partnerships are established, based on mutual trust and shared goals.
The role of the Education Group is summarized below:
- To facilitate an active education network in Europe reflecting the integrated approach to FM education, research and business;
- To assist educational institutions in drafting their FM curricula and to set standards of FM education in Europe;
- To encourage and facilitate student exchange between EuroFM member universities;
- To encourage and facilitate an active knowledge sharing and staff exchange culture amongst the EuroFM member universities;
- To enhance internships within the FM business.
The intention of the Education Group is to reach young professionals and teach them about the added value of the EuroFM platform. Through student and staff exchange, students see the differences in not only FM knowledge, but also in how to work together. This will not only benefit students, but also EuroFM members who can learn a great deal from the next FM generation. Various initiatives developed within EuroFM provides students access to the FM world through digital stay connected activities, where business, young talents, educators and researchers meet.
There are different types of activities and network opportunities organized during the year:
- Summer- and Winter schools: during the summer and winter a member university will host a one-week project where students and their lecturers work together on interesting and present-day projects. The aim is to deliver interesting data to the Research Group within EuroFM;
- The EuroFM Student Competition: students are asked to participate in a video competition where they present internship, thesis or project results during the EuroFM International Conference;
- Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects: students and staff from member universities work together through digital collaboration for a 6-12 week project;
- Student and staff exchange: students can study for 15-30 credits at FM programs at member universities. Staff can teach as guest lecturers within the different FM programs;
- Internship platform: the EuroFM network gives opportunities for students to find an internship placement in the international FM market;
- Evidence based research: bachelor FM students participate in different projects to add value to the EuroFM network and its members.
Current and/or future activities:
- To coach students from the bachelor to master to researcher role by facilitating opportunities within the EuroFM network;
- To set up an EuroFM alumni community where participants of Summer- and Winter schools and student competitions can exchange their knowledge and experience;
- To develop an inventory of present FM curricula in EuroFM Member Universities which makes the present study offering visible to all interested parties;
- To develop Internship Programs within EuroFM Universities: researching the possibility to professionalize internships with an aim to build a “EuroFM internships program”. The main objective of this project is to benefit EuroFM business;
- To develop an EuroFM Honours/Excellence Program: an inventory of present programs in order to create an overview of all special programs. The aim is to develop a specific Honours/Excellence Program for the highly motivated and skilled students within the EuroFM member Universities.
Contact information: Laurens Lamberts, EuroFM Education Chair via laurens@eurofm.org