Building for the future – University expertise benefiting Sudan's construction industry
Release Date 14 July 2011
view photos of the recent celebration of Sudanese culture event
A partnership dedicated to improving the standard of the construction industry in the Sudan has grown ever stronger.
The University's renowned School of Construction Management (SCME) is welcomed colleagues from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Khartoum for a series of workshops and presentations. The local community also joined both institutions and guests from the Sudanese Embassy for a special celebration of Sudanese culture.
The visit was part of a three-year project funded by the Department for International Development and administered by the British Council. The partnership aims to advance the education and sound practice of construction management in the Sudan.
A 2009 United Nations Millennium Development Goal1 (UNMDG) report revealed that sub-Saharan Africa ‘remains the region with the highest prevalence of slums'. The same report stated that ‘Women are also poorly represented in non-agricultural employment in sub-Saharan Africa'.
Statistics show that, increasingly, women are overtaking men in higher education. Currently 90% of students enrolled in the Faculty of Architecture, at the University of Khartoum, are women but generally they are extremely under-represented in the construction industry. The project will further contribute to the UNMDG's report, especially in the areas of sustainable social housing and women empowerment.
During the visit, Reading experts delivered various presentations covering international construction, construction of areas of conflict with reference to Southern Sudan and Darfur and sustainable social housing. Discussions will also took place concerning the development of specialised undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD courses.
Professor Steve Mithen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International and External Engagement at the University of Reading, said: "The principal aim of the Construction Management Project is to share knowledge and develop an open approach to the design and management of buildings and infrastructure. As well as developing courses, the partnership will promote the exchange of excellence and ideas, academic materials and publications in construction management, and host joint workshops and international conferences. "
To enhance the experience for the visitors the University organised trips to locations such as the London Olympic construction site. The guests also visited Reading's Greenlands Campus and enjoyed several social events to celebrate their visit and the burgeoning partnership.
Ends
Further press information from James Barr, University of Reading press office, 0118 378 7115
Notes to Editors:
The project is funded under the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE) programme with £60k over three year period.
Both institutions hope that by providing a coherent framework for educational and professional courses in construction management and engineering, in general and sustainable social housing in particular, the project will contribute to United Nations Millennium Development Goals including sustainable development and climate change, clean water, health issues, science and technology, energy, status of women, peace and conflict, and global ethics.
The University of Reading's School of Construction Management is a world leader in teaching and research about the management, design and economics of engineered technologies, primarily in the construction field. Its global reputation for innovation, focused on real-world problems facing the management of the built environment, attracts academics, students and industry professionals of the highest calibre. It has strong links to industry, professional institutions and governments around the world and attained a top international rating of 5 in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise.
The School also hosts the multi-million pound Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC)-funded Innovative Construction Research Centre. http://www.reading.ac.uk/icrc/
The roots of the University of Khartoum (U of K) go back to 1898 when Lord Kitchener of Khartoum proposed founding a college in memory of General Gordon.
Since its establishment in 1902, the University of Khartoum - by virtue of its position as the ‘mother' for all Sudanese universities is entrusted with:
- Providing a variety of high quality programs both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels for all specializations and disciplines.
- Providing education and training services of the highest quality in accordance with international standards and with values that are derived from the Sudanese culture.
- Embracing modern concepts in all the services it provides and nurturing research environments with the aim of raising the competence of students to high standards that would enable them to undertake the responsibility of work and interaction with the society at both national and international levels.
- As an intellectual reserve and stock of knowledge, the University aims at fulfilling the needs of the society and the requirements for development and directing these needs and requirements