The usage of information technologies is rapidly evolving into the construction sector in Lithuania: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) and International Corporation, "Bentley Systems" has signed a contract on founding "BIM (Building Information Modelling) Academy". VGTU will coordinate the activities of the Academy in the Baltic region.
"BIM Academy" will start its activities at already existing Centre of digital and information modelling technologies of VGTU. The Centre, set up a year ago, has already acquired infrastructure, software and team, necessary for training young professionals in digital construction.
"The partnership between VGTU and "Bentley Systems" is a breakthrough in the field of digital construction not only in Lithuania, but also in the surrounding countries. VGTU is the recognized leader in technologies throughout the region, and "Bentley Systems", now expanding its activities in Lithuania, is the global leader dedicated to providing software for major infrastructure projects. Thus, the joined efforts of higher education and business will ensure a sustainable development of the digital construction competences", – said David G. Robertson, the Director of "BIM Academy", curated by "Bentley Systems".
"BIM Academy" will have an important task – to change the mind-set of professionals, showing the benefits of digital construction technologies. Therefore, the Academy‘s activities will not be restricted to the students training only. The Academy will organise training courses, conferences and seminars, where the representatives of "Bentley Systems", the managers from various companies, the delegates from municipalities and others, will share their experiences, acquired during specific digital construction projects. As expected, this will encourage the experienced specialists to start applying the processes of information construction modelling into their professional activities.
"Taking into account the historical development of VGTU and the profile of professionals trained at our University, the development of information modelling technologies in buildings is a strategic direction of our University. Both the research and training programmes integrate them. After the establishment of the Centre for digital constructions, we started an active development of digital competence, innovation promotion and transfer processes for market participants. With strong support of our new partner, we will develop these activities even more actively", – said Alfonsas Daniūnas, the Rector of VGTU.
For the new Master‘s and Doctoral study programms, connected with digital construction technologies, VGTU will follow the guidelines, developed by ‘‘Bentley Systems‘‘, as well as their training methodologies and the software provided.
According to the contract, signed between VGTU and "Bentley Systems", "BIM Academy" should focus the attention of specialists on the most important infrastructure objects firstly, such as "Railbaltica" railway track construction, and on the promotion of digital information in various stages of the project, such as designing, building, calculation of materials, operation, etc. Information collection in a digital format and close collaboration between all project participants should efficiently improve the mutual work of all participants.
Close cooperation between International Corporation "Bentley Systems" and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University started last year, after signing a strategic partnership agreement on their mutual efforts for attracting students to the engineering specialties, in order to prepare them for labour market during various study programs, using modern engineering design technologies.
