CIOB Challenge
Back Row Left to Right: Dr. Michael Curran, Dr. Jim Bradley, Dr. Tadhg O’Neill, Dr. John Spillane Front Row Left to Right: Colin Wixted, Mia Phelan, Maeve Donnellan, Conor Treacy
Friday, 13 March 2026

Four final-year students from the University of Limerick’s Construction Management and Engineering programme secured an impressive third place finish at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Ireland Student Challenge 2026, held at South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford.

The UL team, comprising of Maeve Donnellan, Mia Phelan, Conor Treacy and Colin Wixted, competed against nine teams from universities across Ireland in the annual competition, which challenges students to respond to a real-world construction industry brief and present their proposals to a panel of industry judges.

The brief for the 2026 challenge required teams to investigate how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and modern digital technologies could be applied within the construction sector to predict and prevent project delays, while also improving human efficiency, construction quality, environmental sustainability and the overall human experience of construction projects.

The UL students were given a limited time to analyse the brief, develop their proposal and prepare a professional presentation before presenting their ideas to a panel of judges drawn from across the construction sector.

Dr Michael Curran, who coached the UL team for the competition, congratulated the students on their performance:

“The CIOB Student Challenge provides an excellent opportunity for our students to apply the knowledge and skills developed during their studies to real challenges facing the construction industry. The team worked extremely well together under time pressure and demonstrated strong analytical, collaborative and presentation skills.”

The students also represented the University of Limerick earlier in the academic year at the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 International Student Competition, which took place in Dublin in November 2025. Participation in international competitions such as ASC helps students further develop their teamwork, problem-solving and industry engagement skills.

Lecturers attending the event also participated in a Construction Management Education Forum, where academics and industry representatives discussed wider topics relating to construction management education, teaching and learning, research, and the evolving skills needs of the construction sector. The UL team was supported at the competition by Dr John Spillane, Dr Jim Bradley, Dr Tadhg O’Neill and Dr Michael Curran.

The CIOB Ireland Student Challenge continues to provide an important platform for construction management students to engage with industry professionals, test innovative ideas, and gain valuable experience addressing real-world challenges facing the built environment.