On the principle that very few people practicing in this field are able to work alone and therefore need to interact in an effective manner with people from other related disciplines it is vitally important that our students have an understanding of what their colleagues do and profess what they ‘bring to the table’ and how to communicate with them in a positive and respectful manner. If this does not happen as part of their initial education it could be much more difficult for these key skills to be acquired and applied at a later date. Graduates would also miss out on an important part of their professional development.
Leeds Metropolitan University makes sure that this aspect of the education of built environment and design students is an integral component of their undergraduate studies. Through the vehicle of an interdisciplinary workshop we have evolved a means of ensuring our students meet and engage with their professional peers and reflect on the process of working with others whilst also rising to the challenges of a complex site-based project brief. This paper identifies the lessons to be learned from this experience.
