Students from the Engineering Project Management module at the School of Engineering and Materials Science visited the construction site of Queen Mary University of London’s new Business and Management Building on 30th October.

The visit was organized by Dr Jae-Hwan Park, Module Lead for Engineering Project Management, and supported by Mr Nawed Khan, Project Director at Queen Mary University of London. The construction team from Willmott Dixon warmly welcomed the students and provided a detailed on-site briefing, answering questions and explaining key engineering and project management aspects of the development.

The visit offered students a unique opportunity to observe how complex engineering and construction principles are applied in real-world projects, deepening their understanding of project planning, scheduling, risk mitigation, stakeholder management, teamwork, and on-site coordination. It also enabled them to translate and reflect upon the concepts learned in the classroom within a real industry context, bridging the gap between academic learning and professional practice.

“The industry site visit was an incredibly valuable learning experience," said one of the students. "It allowed us to observe real-world construction processes and understand how engineering theories are applied in practice. The engineers were very welcoming and explained the project in detail, which deepened our understanding of construction management.”

Another student said, “Dr Jae-Hwan Park began with an introductory session outlining the site routes and nearby areas, followed by a detailed explanation from the site engineer of the structure and foundation layout. The team also shared the challenges they faced and how they mitigated them through various tests and trials.” And another added "visiting the industry site was very valuable because it helped bridge the gap between us and professionals, giving us a real sense of being in a professional environment. This experience encouraged us to take the course more seriously and motivated us to gain more industry knowledge.”

This visit is one of many activities providing students with experiential learning opportunities that connect classroom theory with real business and engineering practice. Such collaborations with leading industry partners like Willmott Dixon help Engineering Management students gain practical insights and professional exposure, preparing them to become future leaders in engineering project delivery.