Nicosia: As part of the BuildSkills Academy (BSA) project, the Cyprus University of Technology participated in the Conference on Advancements in Sustainable Engineering (CASE25), hosted by Frederick University in Cyprus on 11-12 September 2025. At the conference, the paper titled ‘Towards the enrichment of Construction VET courses for the Green and Digital Transition: The BuildSkills Academy Paradigm’ was presented, which will be published in the official CASE25 proceedings.
According to Cyprus News Agency, CASE25 brought together researchers and innovators from across Europe, covering a wide range of topics including renewable energy and hydrogen technologies, power and communication systems, sustainable construction, climate resilience, circular economy approaches, as well as AI and IoT applications in agriculture, urban efficiency, and environmental monitoring. The presentation was delivered under the Policy, Design and Innovation session and showcased the vision and progress of the BuildSkills Academy along with the BuildEnrichedSkills Methodology (BESM), a framework designed to reshape vocational education and training (VET) in the construction sector across Europe.
The urgent need for the construction sector to embrace the green and digital twin transition, as outlined by the European Green Deal and the European Skills Agenda, was highlighted. Through BESM, 12 future-proof courses (EQF levels 3-7) enriched with green and digital skills have been developed. The methodology is supported by a self-assessment tool and digital platform that provide gap analysis for 38 construction professions and guidance on tailoring curricula to industry needs.
The presentation showcased two EQF Level 6 pilot courses to be implemented at the Cyprus University of Technology: ‘Bio-inspired Innovation and Design for Sustainable Engineering Solutions’ and ‘Risk and Reliability in Health and Safety’. Following the completion of their verification process, these pilot courses will be implemented from November 2025 through the Center of Lifelong Learning of the Cyprus University of Technology, offering professionals of the Construction Sector opportunities to upskill with green and digital competencies.
The presentation was delivered by Eirini Konstantinou on behalf of the Cyprus University of Technology. The Cyprus partners of the BSA project are the Cyprus University of Technology, KyklOIKOdromio, and the Cyprus Certification Company.