Sue Hayhow, senior lecturer in property, construction & quantity surveying at Birmingham City University, has produced the ‘Construct-it’ board game, which educates students on the life cycle of property.

The game brings professional disciplines together to simulate a real-life, collaborative project and tackle some of the challenges which may be faced.

During Construct-it built environment students, or newly qualified practitioners, are tested on their knowledge of the whole life-cycle of a residential development, to help prepare them for careers in the industry.

A range of aspiring professionals, including architectural technicians, building surveyors, construction managers and quantity surveyors, can benefit from playing the game - and research has shown it to be a fun, engaging and challenging way of educating students.

Construct-it challenges players on their knowledge of best practice for construction as well as their ability to identify reasons for defects – such as premature deterioration of brickwork.

Questions have been tailored to link to key learning objectives embedded in built environment degree courses.

Sue Hayhow created the game as part of her EdD research, and its findings have been published in the leading education journal ‘Industry and Higher Education’.

Sue Hayhow said: “My main objectives as a practicing and chartered Building Surveyor are to first ensure that Birmingham City University graduates are equipped with the core knowledge, competencies and understanding of contemporary building surveying practices.

“Secondly it is to make sure that the University produces graduates who are highly employable in the workplace.

“As educators and practitioners, we have a duty to continually look to raise standards by finding new ways of engaging with our students to make the educational experience fun and captivating.

“The University really is a great place to work and has given me a superb opportunity to invest in my professionalism and pass that knowledge on to our students through the taught curriculum.”