Links with Industry

We maintain strong links with industry through  the professional Institutions and our collaborative teaching, research and consulting work. 

Members of the academic staff regularly carry out consultancy related to their specialist areas and play a significant part in local, national and international professional activities. 

We have a Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) which provides independent advice on all aspects of our work.

We have an Industrial Advisory Panel (IAP) every member of which is actively engaged in a specific activity with us e.g. giving one or more lectures, helping with ug projects, collaborating in research etc.. 

The IAP also includes our Industrial Tutors who are appointed under our Industrial Tutor Scheme.  This joint scheme with the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers helps undergraduate students to under the construction industry and what it is like to work as an engineer in practice.

The Department runs an Industrial Scholarship Scheme through which Companies select students for sponsorship. Up to twenty students are selected each year to receive professional and financial support during the first two years of their academic career. The scholarship often continues for the rest of the student's time at Bristol by mutual agreement. Other vacation work opportunities are advertised here.

The EERC also has a small University company BEELAB Ltd

The construction industry touches the lives of everyone.  It is, however, a highly fragmented, high risk, low margin, volatile industry and consequently investment in education and research is the lowest of all industrial sectors. 

There are very real changes now happening to the way the industry operates, under the general heading of ‘Rethinking Construction’ in which the Department is involved both in teaching and research. 

In brief the industry is attempting to move away from a confrontational litigious culture to one of cooperation and teamwork in partnership. 

There are fundamental concerns in society about the environment and about our infrastructure, from climate change to the railways. 

Civil Engineers have distinct and important roles in all of these matters. 

We see the systems approach as being important in our teaching and research in contributing both to the changing industry and in how these big questions concerning the climate can be tackled.