The 129th meeting of the CIB Board since its inaugural session in 1953 was hosted by Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in June 2023.
The meeting opened with an address by Prof Marshall Sheldon, Executive Dean of the Faculty of the Built Environment and Information Technology. We were delighted that she was able to join several sessions and other meetings during the week, indicating the importance and prestige attached by the university to our visit.
Alongside reports from CIB’s standing committees (Programme, Future Leaders, Membership and Communications, and Administration) and the organisers of World Building Congress 2025, the main business of the meeting focused on how to continue the recent spurt in new memberships, improving the membership proposition including for industry as well as research organisations, and developing ideas for the long-term development of the organisation. A number of proposals are to be worked up ahead of the next Board meeting in November when we look forward to Massey University welcoming us to Auckland, New Zealand.
A number of additional meetings were held with senior faculty at the university and leading players in the Eastern Cape and South African construction sector, including with the Eastern Cape Master Builders Association, the Eco-Sun Village, Kenton-on Sea, Ndlambe Local Municipality, and the Coega Development Corporation and the COEGA Industrial Development Zone within Nelson Mandela Bay Metro alongside the Port of Ngqura, with all of whom Nelson Mandela University have strategic collaborations.
Two events for CIB members were also hosted, one to welcome our three new Student Chapters from University of Newcastle in Australia, University of Pretoria in South Africa, and Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, and the other on Gender Equality in the Construction Industry.
At the end of the week we were delighted to enjoy some social time together, highlights included a city tour, a game drive at Schotia Private Game Reserve, an African dinner experience at The Boma, Lovemore Park, and a regional tour of Kouga including a visit to Cape St Francis which enabled us to catch up with CIB Past President Rodney Milford.
We place on record our immense gratitude to the senior faculty of Nelson Mandel University for their excellent hosting and hospitality, in particular we thank Prof Marshall Sheldon, Wayne Draii, Chris Allen and Theo Haupt.
