EuroFM Student ‘Urban FM’ Challenge winners heading to Minneapolis this September

And then particularly on what role the facility manager has in co-creating resilient, inclusive, and livable cities. We had 12 Students, from 7 universities, with 7 nationalities, who came together for three days to work on this project. And did so very very well!vWe kickstarted the challenge with an introduction to all, and an instruction to the topic back in February and met for the first time in person during the welcome’s reception. Here, the full assignment was shared and the student challenge officially commenced! Three groups, coached and judged by Ir. Jacob Gerben (Jaap) Wijnja CFM, Erik Jaspers and Niels Peters took on the challenge and worked hard to be able to win tickets to IFMA World Workplace in Minneapolis. They visited the neighborhood, they attended speaker sessions, they spoke to industry professionals, and had a lot of time (and fun) together.

On Thursday they presented their findings, and we were all impressed by how much they had done in so little time. The ideas included student accommodation and use the ground floor to connect young and old and build connections throughout, a community manager who is in charge of bridging the gap between “new” neighbors for the 5000+ houses currently being developed, and a community garden with event space to host different activities for everyone near.

And although they are all winners in my eyes (look what you gained… a professional network, meeting each other, learning new things) eventually the group of Madhu Anbarasan, Felix Wadzah, Eline Rotgans, Isa Crijns, and Adriana Etemi took the win. The judges agreed that their proposal was complete, it was fun, and fitted the assignment. CONGRATULATIONS!! America, here they come! Want to see their presentation? Download it here!

This year, for the first time ever, we even had a sponsor to contribute to the travel expenses. A huge thank you to JLL and OfficeSpace Software for sponsoring this challenge and make it possible for our students to make the journey and continue their networking game!

Well done to all other participants too (Zonne Vroom, Amarens Keizer, Eliška Lukejová, Esmee van den Heuvel, Floor Butzelaar, Carolyne Atieno Otieno, Niels Adams). You all did so well, and you can be immense proud of yourself. We for sure are!

Watch the video of the winning team:

EuroFM Partners with The Workplace Event

EuroFM is excited to announce its partnership with The Workplace Event.

The Workplace Event, renowned for its focus on workplace strategies, design, and technology, will be held from 8th to 10th April 2025 in Birmingham, UK. This event provides a unique platform for FM professionals to connect with industry peers, explore cutting-edge solutions, and gain valuable insights.  

By partnering with The Workplace Event, EuroFM aims to:

• Enhance Industry Networking: Facilitate connections between FM experts from across Europe.
• Drive Knowledge Sharing: Participate in a panel discussion.

From 14 – 18 October 2024, the 13^th International Week took place at the Facility Management Department of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in Heerlen. Supported by EuroFM, this event again was a great success. More than 180 students participated during this EuroFM International Autumn School Facility Management which was conducted exclusively on location in Heerlen (NL).

Combined student groups from Zuyd UAS, FH Kufstein (Austria), DHBW Stuttgart (Germany), UCLL (Belgium), and The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) competed in an exciting competition. Scores were tracked daily on a leaderboard, adding to the week’s excitement. The teams had to outdo each other with clever ideas on how companies in general, and Vebego in particular, can attract and retain young talent.

Clashing Cultures?
With students from different countries, various specialisations came together. According to lecturer and co-organiser Stephan van der Linden, “Dutch students often have more knowledge about soft services, such as hospitality and customer-centric approaches, while the German and Austrian students are more knowledgeable about hard services, such as technical maintenance”. “This leads to interesting discussions, and that’s exactly why they learn so much from each other during this event.”

Valuable Collaboration with Vebego
For the second year in a row, Vebego Facility Solutions was the client for the EuroFM International Autumn School Facility Management. During the week, students had the opportunity to offer their fresh perspectives on Vebego’s recruitment and retention policies. This provided valuable insights and improvements that Vebego can benefit from in the future. For the students, it was a unique opportunity to work with a leading company in the facility management sector, and for Vebego, it offered new perspectives to improve their connection with young professionals.

Students completed their group assignments with great success! Members of the jury included lecturers from the various participating schools/ FM programmes, and board members from both EuroFM as well as the Vebego Facility Solutions. The winning team was invited to visit the next EuroFM Conference and took home a certificate for € 1.500,- in order to facilitate their travelling and lodging costs during this visit. This cheque was presented to the winning team by Pieter le Roux on behalf of EuroFM.

Please check the higlights in the video below of the EuroFM Conference 2024 which took place in London on 10 and 11 June 2024.

THE EUROFM CONFERENCE WAS
A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN

The Proceedings of the 23rd EuroFM Research Symposium, organized in connection with the 29th EuroFM Conference, held 9-12 June 2024 in London are now available. The theme of the 2024 conference,´Transformation for future-proof FM’, is reflected in the papers included in the proceedings. The paper topics fall under Digital Transformation, Green Transformation, Spatial Transformations, and Services in Transformation.

The proceedings comprise 23 papers, a delightful record in recent Research Symposium history! The Scientific Committee thanks all Authors for their hard work, dedication, and good collaboration during the process which started already at the end of 2023. They feel humbled that so many have chosen the EuroFM Research Symposium 2024 as an outlet for their research.

Congratulations to the winner Ronald Beckers for his innovative paper ‘Exploring the Home Office with Participatory Photography’!

The EuroFM Research Network wants to promote Open Access (OA) research. Consequently, the proceedings are available OA on Zenodo. Please check the following link to download your copy: https://zenodo.org/records/11658176

During a Charity Dinner at the EuroFM conference in London held on 10 & 11 June the Award for lecturer of the year was presented. There were several nominees but eventually a winner was selected who was being recognised for her unparalleled dedication, expertise, and passion in the field of Facilities Management.

The lecturer of the year 2024 is: Prof. Alenka Temeljotov-Salaj.
Congratulations on this award and recognition!

Prof. Alenka Temeljotov-Salaj’s beliefs that the future of Facilities Management lies in the synergy between multiple disciplines. Inspired by her unique background in psychology and construction engineering, she teaches an integrated approach that is interconnected in order to make an impact in students’ future professional practice.

She believes that the best learning happens when theory meets practice. This not only gives students hands-on experience but also creates a mindset of co-creation and value-creation which the sector can benefit from. It that wasn’t enough motivation, she is also the Vice-Dean for Innovation in the Faculty of Engineering and in just 2 years she developed a culture of innovation from zero in the faculty leading innovation bootcamps, bachelor and master theses innovation competitions, inspirational innovation talks and initiative on future innovation and entrepreneurship courses in engineering that will come. By integrating these principles into her teachings, Prof. Alenka Temeljotov-Salaj is shaping the next generation of FM professionals who are adaptive, innovative, and ready to tackle global challenges.

Student Award

Students from different backgrounds, facilities management, civil engineering, construction management, gave a presentation on how to transform the facility management industry.

During the EuroFM Conference 2024 three groups presented their findings where Group 1 talked about learning from experiences; connecting the field with education a lot more and providing students with more opportunities to cooperate together. Followed by Group 2 who talked about the internet of things and how we can make a huge societal and environmental impact. Finally Group 3 explained that the digital twin really is the way forward on the integration between construction, property management, and facility management.

The panellists had their favourites, but the audience was asked to vote too! It was a close call – at one point all three were at a tie. But eventually the winner of the student award was Group 3, consisting of Saif Ullah Khan and Harmeen Kaur. Congratulations, and see you at the next event! They have won a ticket to next year’s EuroFM Conference (incl. hotel accomodation) and a book by keynote speaker Simone Fenton-Jarvis.

The Best Paper Award 2024 was presented to Ronald Beckers for his innovative paper ‘Exploring the Home Office with Participatory Photography’!

The Outstanding Industry Initiative Award 2024 went to Intelligent Workplace Solutions Ltd for their initiative on Workplace Solutions for People and Planet.

We are proud to announce the programme for the EuroFM Facility Management Conference and EuroFM Research Symposium, scheduled to take place from 10 – 12 June 2024, in London, United Kingdom. This event is a collaborative effort between EuroFM, FMCE, and our valued partners who share a common goal of advancing the field of Facility Management.

Monday 10 June 2024

	Conference Day 1
08.30 – 09.00	Registration Delegates
09.00 – 09.15	Welcome remarks: Opening of the EuroFM Conference and Research Symposium	Maria Morapedi, FMCE Natalie Hofman, EuroFM Chair
09.15 – 09.30	Opening Insights: Transformation – more academic insights from London Met	Jane Ballantyne, Head of Built Environment, School of the Built Environment at London Metropolitan University
09.30 – 10.15	Keynote Session: Skills of the Future	Perry Timms, Founder and Chief Energy Officer at People & Transformational HR Ltd.
10.15 – 11.00	Panel Discussion EuroFM Ambassadors: FM as a profession and industry now an in 2025	Moderated by David Martinez, Global Director at FM House and EuroFM Ambassador Spain Panelists: Joung Hun (Jay) Youm, Michael May, Karin Schaad and Luciano Brunherotto
11.00 – 11.30	Coffee Break
11.30 – 12.15	Panel Discussion: Inclusive workplaces and diversity in FM	Moderated by Sofie Hooper, Head of Policy and Research at IWFM Panelists: Linda Alexander, Natalie Hofman, Chris Barnes and Samantha West
12.15 – 13.00	Workshop: ESG-CSRD and the contribution of FM; EuroFM Deep Coil and industry Needs	Moderated by Stephan van der Linden With: Klaus Homann, Olga van Diermen, Maris Boeringa, and Marlinda Dresden
13.00 – 14.00	Lunch
14.00 – 14.30	Speaker Session: Implementation of ISO Standards	Stan Mitchell, CEO at Key Facilities Management
14.30 – 15.30	Workshop: Reimagine: Circular Futures in 2035	Riikka Kyrö & Rebecka Lundgren
15.30 – 16.00	Coffee Break
16.00 – 16.45	Panel Discussion: Merger and acquisition activity in the FM market. What are the drivers and opportunities for the future	Moderated by Andrew Hulbert Panelists: Chiara Stella Camellini and Satvir Bungar
16.45 – 17.15	Speaker Session: Measuring ESG in the real estate environment in real time	Songo Didiza, Managing Director at Green Building Design Group
17.15 – 17.30	Wrap-up & Closing	Maria Morapedi, FMCE Natalie Hofman, EuroFM Chair
17.30 – 19.30	Networking Event with Students – meet FM professionals

Tuesday 11 June 2024

	Conference Day 2
08.30 – 09.00	Registration Delegates
09.00 – 09.05	Welcome to Day 2
09.05 – 09.45	Keynote Session: Transitions in FM with sustainability focus	Matthew Tucker, Director of Research at IFMA & Professor of Workplace and Facilities Management at LJMU
09.45 – 10.15	Speaker Session: Transformation requires new skills and standards. Are we ready to deal with the overload of data?	Gordon Mitchell, ESG – Net Zero – Digital Transformation – Operational Built Environment/FM
10.15 – 11.00	Student Vlog Competition: Being part of the EuroFM conference opens your door to your career in facility management or real estate	Moderated by Oluwaseun Ajayi With: Olga van Diermen, Pleun van Deurssen and Nipuni Sumanarathna
11.00 – 11.30	Coffee Break
11.30 – 12.00	Speaker Session: Transforming FM – Integrating Business Operations for Innovations	Olga van Diermen, Senior Lecturer at The Hague University of Applied Sciences
12.00 – 12.30	Speaker Session: Transforming into Standard FM Contracts	Sherif Khaled
12.30 – 13.00	Speaker Session: UrbanFM from a placemaking perspective	Pieter C. le Roux, Lecturer at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
13.00 – 14.00	Lunch
14.00 – 14.45	Panel Discussion: Redefining the Future: Why Hybrid Working is Obsolete and What Comes Next?	Moderated by Tom Ryckaert, Marketing & Communications Director at PROCOS Group Panelists: Alvaro Aguiar, Hannah Wilson, Kanha Pou and Chiara Tagliaro
14.45 – 15.30	Panel Discussion: Approaches to meet CSRD Compliance: Lessons from the SFMI Assessment	Moderated by Sunil Shah Panelists: Reid Cunningham and Agustin Cobelo
15.30 – 16.00	Coffee Break
16.00 – 16.30	Speaker Session: Organizations’ Leadership and the Issue of Professional Development of FM staff	Shukri Habib, Facilities Management Instructor | Consultant | Certified Facilitator of Training
16.30 – 17.15	Closing Keynote Session: People in FM	Simone Fenton-Jarvis, Founder and Chief Workplace Officer at The Human-Centric Workplace
17.15 – 17.30	Wrap-up & Closing	Maria Morapedi, FMCE Natalie Hofman, EuroFM Chair
18.00 – 21.00	Gala Dinner & Awards Venue: German Museum Restaurant

Wednesday 12 June 2024

09.00 – 10.30	First group – Facility tour to London Metropolitan University – Estates Department 15 people per group
10.30 – 12.00	Second group – Facility tour to London Metropolitan University – Estates Department 15 people per group
11.00 – 12.30	Facility tour to Arsenal Stadium 30 people max.

How to register

Go to www.eurofmconference.uk to learn more and book your tickets for this event.

The EuroFM Research Network is meeting for the 23rd time in June 2024! The theme of the symposium centers around transformation to contribute to future-proof Facility Management (FM).

The call for papers is now closed, please find the key dates below:

15 December 2023	Deadline for abstracts
07 February 2024	Deadline for paper submissions
28 February 2024	Reviews to the authors
27 March 2024	Deadline for revised papers
08 May 2024	Final decision on paper acceptance
22 May 2024	Deadline for camera-ready papers
10-12 June 2024	EuroFM Research Symposium 2024 in London

Please find more information on the submission process here.

This year’s EuroFM Research Symposium will be held on 10 and 11 June 2024 during the EuroFM Conference 2024 in London
More information on the programme can be found here.

On behalf of the EuroFM Research Network,
Dr. Tuuli Jylhä, Research Chair – EuroFM
Dr. Vitalija Danivska, Conference Chair – EuroFM
Maria Morapedi, Chair of the local conference organizer – AfricaFM and FMCE Founder

“Being part of the EuroFM conference opens your door to your career in facility management or real estate”

Venue: London MET University at 166-220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB

Date: 10/11 June 2024

We invite students and professionals to join the VLOG COMPETITION during the EuroFM conference in London.

EuroFM would like to use the opportunity to connect students with facility management and real estate professionals in an informal setting. The start of a professional career can start at the conference by presenting yourself as an upcoming talent. EuroFM will organise a speed dating session during the Welcome drink on June 10^th, 2024, with a vlog competition. Students are asked to create a vlog upfront and during a speed dating session participant of the event, lecturers and researchers have the opportunity to listen to the vlog of the students, ask questions and start discussions.

The theme of the EuroFM Conference is Transformation

FM field has undergone (and continues going through) significant transformations, impacting every facet of the industry. It requires continuous evolvement of education of (future and current) professionals and business practices and state-of-the-art research. To move forward, we need to understand those transformations, educate people, and share best practices.

We invite students to present a 90 seconds vlog about your opinion of this theme, how do you think the transformation is going, where will it start and where will it end? What research and educational principles are leading to transformation and how would you like to be part of it.

Your 90 seconds vlog will be shown at the conference and during the speed dating. The five best vloggers (chosen by the formal jury) will be on stage on June 11^th in a panel discussion to discuss insights, opportunities and solutions. The panel discussion will be guided by a host.

The jury will decide after the panel discussion who is the winner of the vlog competition.

The winning team or student will get free access and hotel costs (excluding travel costs) to one of the upcoming EuroFM conferences in Europe. The winning vlog will be published on the EuroFM website and social media. The winning team or student gets the signed book Energized Workplace from our keynote speaker Perry Timms.

The Welcome Reception is organized with drinks and some snacks. Entrance is free for all participants of the conference.

Key Rules:

• Vlog competitors can be teams of at maximum 3 students or individuals.

Each university can enter a maximum of three vlog competitors. We encourage you to run the competition with larger groups but to select the top three to enter from your school. If

• you send more than three entries; we will only be able to include the first three in the competition.
• Vlog competitors must create upfront 90 seconds during vlog made in a landscape setting. It needs to be possible to send it digitally via we transfer.
• Work must be original and created by the student(s) – please do not use any templates.
• Vlogs will be judged on creativity, how well they fit the theme and how well the vlog has been made or drawn.  
• Vlog competitors names and university names will be announced on social media and on our website. If you do not wish for this data to be shared you should make this explicit on the entry form.
• Vlog competitors may be displayed and used for marketing, with only first names used.
• The extended deadline for entrance to the vlog competition is at 6pm on May 23rd 2024.
• Prizes are non-transferable.
• Vlog competitors into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
• The jury will be formed by representatives of EuroFM, FMCE and London MET University

Vlog competitors are asked to send their application and vlog to marketing@eurofmconference.uk.

EuroFM has 20 free tickets available for students who are joining the vlog competition during the EuroFM Conference on 10/12 June 2024 in London. First come principle is handled.

More information on the EuroFM Conference 2024 in London can be found here: www.eurofmconference.uk.