Reading between the Lines

How often do we use the word “academic” to mean irrelevant or inconsequential to real life issues? Research from the academic community is often treated with the same reservations. Reports how the Department of Construction Management and Engineering at Reading University is linking up with commercial organizations in collaborative FM related research. Like other UK universities involved in FM, it is seeking to break down the academic‐industrial divide. Despite having a strong reputation in the construction sector, Reading has often been accused of being ambivalent about its position in facilities management. Claims that some light may be shed on this confusion from this discussion.