Reece Blakesley

Reece studies BSc (Hons) Construction Management and spent a year on an exchange programme, enabling him to experience studying in Copenhagen, Denmark. From recreating an infrastructure project to riding a bike through the streets of Copenhagen, Reece had the experience of a lifetime!

How did you hear about the scheme?

During a presentation in the professional environmental and materials science module, we were made aware of the scheme. I then researched into it on the study abroad section of the BCU website and the options I had to travel on my course. KEA Copenhagen stood out to me and the course sounded really interesting. Studying abroad is something I’d never had the chance to experience before, so I decided to go for it!

Why did you choose to go to KEA?

I chose KEA in Copenhagen as I thought studying in a Scandinavian city with such a focus on sustainability, would be beneficial to me and my construction knowledge. As well as this, it was a great opportunity to spend a semester in another part of Europe and enhance my worldview. Plus, it was different from my day-to-day.

What did a typical day on the course look like?

A typical day included two lectures on various topics within construction, such as civil engineering, architecture, or materials. After lectures you would typically have meetings in groups or teams to work on projects, this could be in the university library, cafes on campus, or even student apartments. We used building information modeling software for most of our projects.

What are some of the projects/assignments that you worked on in Denmark?

We had one large project for the semester. We were given the brief to recreate a building called ‘the Cube’ from the outline proposal to the mobilization stage. This was a great academic experience as we had to work on all elements of construction management.

Which project did you enjoy working on the most?

I enjoyed working on the mini dissertation, which was based on the importance of sustainability in the future of construction. The in-depth research I completed within this project allowed me to gain an insight into the industry and what it is working towards.