On 11 October 2025, the Faculty of Construction Economics successfully organised the defence of the Graduation Internship course for Cohort 66 students enrolled in the Engineering programme. This important academic event provided a comprehensive assessment of students' learning outcomes and practical experience before they completed their programme of study.

1. Course Description and Educational Objectives

The Graduation Internship course is a compulsory component of the Construction Economics Engineering programme. It is scheduled in Semester 9 and comprises 11 credits delivered over a nine-week internship period.

The course is designed to achieve the following key educational objectives:

• Applying knowledge in professional practice: To enable students to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired throughout the programme to systematically and scientifically analyse and solve practical professional problems encountered at their host organisations during the internship.
• Developing professional competence: To consolidate and broaden students' practical understanding of the field of Construction Economics, while strengthening their professional skills and independent research capabilities expected of engineering students preparing for graduation.

2. Industry Representatives on the Assessment Panel

To enhance the objectivity and quality of the assessment process, this year's Graduation Internship defence panel included not only full-time academic staff but also representatives from construction companies, professional organisations, and industry experts.

The participation of industry representatives brought significant value to the assessment process:

• Practice-oriented assessment: Students' performance was evaluated and reviewed against the competency requirements and professional standards expected in real-world construction projects and industry practice.
• Strengthening the link between education and employment: Industry feedback enables the Faculty to continuously enhance its curriculum in line with labour market needs, while providing employers with valuable opportunities to identify, assess, and recruit high-potential graduates following their internship experience.

3. Overall Evaluation

Overall, the Graduation Internship reports submitted by Cohort 66 students accurately reflected their nine-week professional placement within host organisations, demonstrating both initiative in conducting independent study and the ability to perform discipline-specific professional tasks effectively.

The successful completion of the defence session further affirmed the effectiveness of the Faculty's practice-oriented educational approach, which integrates academic learning with real-world industry experience to prepare students for professional engineering practice.

Overall, the Graduation Internship reports submitted by Cohort 66 students accurately reflected their nine-week professional placement within host organisations, demonstrating both initiative in conducting independent study and the ability to perform discipline-specific professional tasks effectively.

The successful completion of the defence session further affirmed the effectiveness of the Faculty's practice-oriented educational approach, which integrates academic learning with real-world industry experience to prepare students for professional engineering practice.