Speaker
Description
suleiman, H. O.
Federal polytechnic nasarawa
hakeemsuleiman1@gmail.com
Track: Digital Transformation in Higher Education
Hakeem Omeiza Suleiman
Department of Quantity Surveying
Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Email: hakeemsuleiman1@gmail.com
The emergence of Construction 5.0, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital cost management, and intelligent data analytics, is redefining the competencies required of quantity surveyors in the digital construction industry. However, many African higher education institutions continue to rely on conventional quantity surveying curricula that inadequately prepare graduates for technology-enabled project delivery and digital cost intelligence. This study examines the role of AI, BIM, and digital cost management in developing future-ready quantity surveyors for the Construction 5.0 era. The objectives were to: (i) examine the relevance of AI, BIM, and digital cost management technologies in Quantity Surveying education; (ii) identify barriers to integrating emerging digital technologies into higher education curricula; (iii) evaluate their contribution to developing competencies in digital cost planning, collaborative project delivery, predictive cost analytics, and sustainable construction; and (iv) propose a curriculum transformation framework aligned with Education 5.0, Construction 5.0, and Smart Campus initiatives. The study adopts a qualitative review of contemporary literature, policy documents, and international best practices in digital construction education. Findings indicate that integrating AI-powered estimating tools, BIM-enabled quantity take-off, digital procurement platforms, and predictive cost analytics significantly enhances experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, graduate employability, and digital competencies while supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 and SDG 9. The study concludes that curriculum innovation, investment in digital learning infrastructure, faculty capacity development, and stronger university–industry partnerships are essential for preparing quantity surveyors capable of leading Africa's digital construction transformation.
Keywords: Quantity Surveying Education, Artificial Intelligence, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Digital Cost Management, Predictive Cost