Prerequisites for Building an Innovative Online Platform Supporting BIM Implementation in Higher Education

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to present outcomes of the first phase of the ongoing EU-funded Project BIMaHEAD focused on building digital readiness in higher education institutions as well as supporting students in AEC related degrees to adjust to the new online education environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic through integrating digital technologies with teaching and learning practices. An in-depth comparative analysis of 132 case studies focused on Building Information Modelling education in a Higher Education sector in Europe was completed and conclusions were drawn. A great amount of data was collected, studied, and analysed. The benchmarking analyses were fundamental for understanding the state of the art in the area, defining gaps and deficiencies, and rethinking teaching and learning methodologies. The findings also revealed evident differences in curricula as well as in the roles and responsibilities of main actors in the AEC sector in European countries. Therefore, they allowed to specify prerequisites and outline a vision of an open-access online platform to be developed within the second and third stages of the BIMaHEAD Project.