a. assemble and publish a register of courses involving some degree of commonality and multi-disciplinary education in construction, and keep it up to date
b. publicise successful multi-disciplinary relationships between adjacent Universities and ex-Polytechnics in the field of the built environment and encourage new liaisons
c. launch a forum or fora (perhaps on a regional basis), of academics and associated practitioners active in the field of multi-disciplinary education for the exchange of information and experience, the development of new academic techniques and, with the support of the professional institutions, to provide advice on the promotion and monitoring of multi-disciplinary courses and their implications for the host institution
d. encourage and fund the dissemination of information about interdisciplinarity and commonality
e. tackle problems associated with different course lengths and lack of synchronicity
f. review thegeographical location and viability of degree courses for the construction professions with a view to a more rational and cost-effective distribution
CIC has no evidence to suggest that there has been significant progress in any of these areas. In fact the "free market" culture in higher education will now tend to militate against sharing information about course developments which may be seen to give away commercial advantage amongst competitors.
The CIC retains a high regard for the Built Environment Education Services (BEEDS) and its useful newsletter as a means of providing information on commonality. However, it remains very much a mono-University initiative.
As a specific initiative, CIC is closely involved with a consortium of four Universities in the development of a Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) for the Built Environment. Details of this scheme are now being finalised and we anticipate a public announcement later this year.