Development of a framework to support embedding BIM within undergraduate architectural programmes in Lebanon

The increasing needs and demands of humans have at all times been translated into changes and evolution. And with the rise of huge and complex projects, the AEC industry has adopted systems and technologies that promote the fast delivery of the market's requirements and better results using the most appropriate and efficient method of today's systems. BIM is one of the approaches that changed the AEC industry. The concept of BIM is not new, yet its rate of implementation is variable in different regions. Several countries have witnessed an increase in BIM use in the past years (NBS, 2019, McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012, Jung and Lee, 2015) and this is due to low productivity, poor functionality, design errors, and waste (Deutsch, 2011, Smith and Tardif, 2009) and how this system can be a part of the solution. The introduction of the BIM approach within the AEC industry necessitates the acquisition of new skills. Building the future starts from the fresh graduates of the academic institutions. Thus, it is essential for graduates to be equipped with these new skills. This calls for a realignment of the architectural and engineering curriculums which are deemed necessary to ensure a full successful implementation of the system. For this purpose, it is important to enhance the learning process that shall be reflected in knowledge, skills, management, and presentation techniques of architectural projects of different scales and types. Different approaches have been taken to implement BIM, from standalone to integrated courses, yet there is no clear defined method to implement BIM within the whole curriculum in Lebanon. This leads to the formulation of a gap between graduates' outcomes and the Lebanese industry demands. The aim of this research is to create a structured framework to implement BIM within architectural education in Lebanon without replacing the traditional learning architectural method. 17 | Abstract The outcomes of this research aim to support Lebanese universities in specific, and worldwide universities in general, with a guideline for effective and flexible implementation of BIM within the 5-year architectural engineering program. This research uses semi-structured interviews with professionals, educators, and students. The results of the interviews reflected by the researcher lead to a framework proposal to be implemented in the curriculum. Therefore, market demands are served. The designed framework is validated using a design science methodology and peer review from the industry and academia. This adds value at the university level, readjusts the learning outcomes in parallel to the industry's demands, reduces BIM adoption costs, achieves the learning objectives, and expands the knowledge and understanding of BIM to become one integrated part of the architectural curriculum as a first stage and in the practical field as a second stage.