Abstract

Higher education in the UK continues to progress through a changing operating environment. In particular, the economic environment of the past two years is likely to affect higher education. It has already impacted significantly on the construction industry and associated professions and indicators suggest a decline in the number of applications to built environment programmes. This paper reports on a specific element of a longitudinal study which aims to find out more about how best to facilitate the learning of undergraduatestudents in the operating environment that is likely to subsist over the next five years. Thespecific element is a study of second year, undergraduate students on a construction lawmodule and the study will focus on those inhibiting and enhancing factors that impinge on the teaching, learning and assessment regime associated with this module. The study draws on data obtained from participant observation, minutes of meetings, discussions with colleagues and a dedicated survey of immediately past and present students of the module. The findings will be used to inform the design of a model for a programme structure and a teaching, learning and assessment regime that engenders graduates with individual, embedded knowledge, skills, abilities and attributes that allow them to better contribute to the built environment disciplines, to the growth of the economy and to societal needs.