BEFA’s Chair is Mark Farmer, a noted sector leader in skills, productivity and modern methods, appointed to lead major reviews commissioned by government.
Watch a short video introduction to BEFA from Mark.
Video series
In this series of short videos, BEFA’s Chair, Mark Farmer, outlines some of the themes and drivers of BEFA’s activities.
Bridging the gap between the current landscape and emerging industry needs
Preparing for disruption – AI in professional services
Breaking down silos – a pivot towards integrated and multi-disciplinary learning
Building, maintaining and demonstrating currency of competency
Implications for learning providers, professional bodies, regulators and employers
Workforce planning implications – better predicting future skills gaps and workforce
BEFA’s strategic goals and aims
BEFA’s key focus
What makes BEFA different?
BEFA serves as a centre of excellence – a partnership focused on facilitating knowledge exchange, thought leadership, commissioning innovative projects and initiatives. It recognises and aggregates best practices for the built environment, aiming to offer a unique blend of authoritative publications, industry networking opportunities and resources for your organisation.
What sets BEFA apart is the active participation of stakeholders and contributions guiding its direction. This ensures that all activities are demand-led, pioneering new ways of working with the sector to define and produce collaborative actions. As a member of BEFA, you’re not just a participant, you’re a commissioning voice, shaping the Assembly.
The ambition is to move towards ‘transformational’ activities that are relationship-enabled through:
- Facilitating strategic engagement with industry, government, professional bodies and education
- Collaboration to address industry challenges aggregating the best thoughts/ideas on key sector issues
- Informing decision makers to shape policy and practice by presenting evidence-based outputs
- Generating evidence and new knowledge to advance views and thematic priorities
BEFA’S governance
Strategic Advisory Board
BEFA is guided by an employer-led Strategic Advisory Board (SAB), chaired by an independent industry leader, with overall responsibility for priorities, oversight and profile. The SAB meets three times a year and reports to the University of the Built Environment’s Executive. The SAB is currently chaired by Mark Farmer, a recognised international commentator on a variety of industry and policy-related issues.
Workstreams
Under the SAB sit five thematic workstreams aligned to BEFA’s principal focus areas and cross-cutting themes (i.e. education and future skills, professionalism, inclusion, sustainability and placemaking).
Each workstream is led by a subject-matter expert and supported by invited members drawn from industry, professional bodies, education, government and the wider ecosystem.
Workstreams meet regularly to agree priorities, share insights and shape outputs, with scope for task-and-finish groups where required. Cross-pollination is ensured because Workstream Leads contribute to SAB discussions, aligning activities and avoiding duplication.
Secretariat and funding
BEFA operates on a not-for-profit basis. The University of the Built Environment provides the secretariat and core funding, with transparent oversight from the University’s Executive. BEFA may welcome additional financial or in-kind support for specific projects while maintaining its independence.
What BEFA delivers
Benefits of partnering with BEFA
Get involved
Whether you wish to partner on a workstream, propose a research collaboration or participate in BEFA’s events or knowledge exchange, we welcome approaches from organisations that share our ambitions for the sector’s future.
INSPIRE events
BEFA plans to continue the University’s ‘INSPIRE’ events.