In 2000 the University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology created the Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI) with funding from the UK government. The aims of CMI are to bring industry and academics together to enhance the competitiveness, productivity and entrepreneurship of the UK economy. To this end, CMI is targeting various sectors of the economy, including transport, healthcare, energy and construction.

The UK construction industry faces increasing globalisation, with developing countries offering to procure components and services at greatly reduced cost. The UK has commitments to long-term investment in health, transport, education and regeneration of cities, which will all add to the workload of the construction industry. The industry is faced with a reducing skills base at a time when its clients are demanding that it deliver better value, paying more attention to whole-life costs and sustainability.

CMI intends holding a series of meetings during 2006 with key influencers of the construction industry, so as to develop links between end users, investors and the supply chain. The meetings will be in collaboration with senior academics from the University of Salford. The first event will be at a strategic level with forward-thinking leaders. It will be by invitation only with a wide variety of industrial and government clients of the construction industry who are interested in influencing its future shape and competitiveness. This first event is particularly important, as it will shape and identify the challenges that are a priority for the industry. The emphasis will be towards identifying key issues and seeking real-world solutions that will increase the competitiveness and profitability of the industry, while delivering buildings that better satisfy the needs of their users.

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Venue

IoD Hub
Institute of Directors
35 New Broad Street
London EC2M 1NH