Construction Management is a holistic built environment discipline in that tertiary education addresses three main streams: management, economics, and science & technology. This empowers construction management graduates to manage the business of construction and projects (the physical process) as construction managers. Furthermore, construction management is the ‘gateway’ qualification for construction project management, which is the management of projects from conception to completion on behalf of a client, including design delivery, integration of design and construction, and the overseeing of construction.

Construction management is a proactive and demanding discipline as it entails competencies (knowledge and skills) in managing the resources of management, supervision, labour, information, finance, materials, plant and equipment, technology, and subcontractors, both on and off-site, within various built environment organisations. These resources, regardless of stakeholder constituency, need to be managed within defined parameters, namely cost, developmental objectives, the environment, construction and public health and safety, productivity, quality, schedule (time), and employee, client and customer satisfaction.

You may now ask, "What is special about Construction Management at Nelson Mandela University?"

Firstly, the Department of Construction Management presents the construction management programme. It is our core business! This means focus is on the discipline and providing students with the skills and knowledge to enter the workforce ready to deliver.

Secondly, the staff come from a construction management background that includes large general contracting, consulting, research, publishing, lecturing, community service, and professional association and council related experience. The departmental staff include an engineer and specialists in Property, Digital Construction & Planning, Logistics and Health & Safety, who provide diversity in terms of knowledge, skills, and experience.

Thirdly, we are not 'caught up' in the old paradigm of cost, quality and time (narrow focus) - we place people first: management, supervision, labour, environment, as well as health and safety. Our students and graduates have historically been empowered, and will continue to be, to provide 'people-centred leadership. We inculcate and engender a culture of 'better practice' in and among our students, an endeavour underpinned by a strong research culture directed towards relevant built environment and construction related issues in our core fields of knowledge. We are a forward-looking department, focused on Industry 4.0 and digitalisation of the construction industry, leading us to research their impact on those core fields of health and safety, the environment and sustainability, diversity, productivity, quality management, and the performance of industry, organisations, and buildings and structures.

Mr Chris Allen – MSc (Built Environment)

PhD Candidate in Construction Management

Contact information
Miss Vuyokazi Mbekela
Departmental Administrator
Tel: 27 41 504 2790
vuyokazi.mbekela@mandela.ac.za