The Global Leaders in Construction Management (GLCM) is a Strategic Management Research Initiative founded at Columbia University in 2011 by Professor Ibrahim Odeh.
Every academic year the initiative nominates top eight to ten talented students from the Civil Engineering Department to join the GLCM strategic group. To be able to qualify as a GLCM candidate; as shown in the figure below, each student needs to show a combination of the following attributes: (i) outstanding academic achievements in their studies; (ii) exceptional soft skills in presenting and writing; and (iii) promising entrepreneurial and innovative problem solving skills. This highly selective criteria of the GLCM members is by nomination not by application. The faculty engaged in this initiative observe and nominate at the beginning of the academic year; approximately after 2 months, all potential rising leaders at the program. Each candidate will be then interviewed before gets a final invitation to join the GLCM initiative.
Major GLCM innovative components are: (a) International Trip: the GLCM go through an exceptional educational international trip during the winter break for one to two weeks. The focus of the international trip is to learn outside the campus; and the country, about top trends that are reshaping the AEC industries globally and get themselves immersed directly with global operations of signature global construction projects and companies; (b) National Trip: visiting local construction firms as well as local signature projects during both semesters to get exposed to national best management practices. During the international and national trips, the team meet top executives from international and global AEC companies and strategic management consulting firms as well as visit active construction mega projects. (c) Analysis and Trends: The GLCM group is usually engaged in highly challenging topics in the Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries where the majority of these projects are advised by industry executives from top leading AEC firms to rising startups; (d) Leadership Component: several CEOs and executives from top construction firms (as well as rising startups) meet with the students during the academic year to highlight for them top skills that are crucial to excel in the industry as potential future leaders and expand their network with high level executives.
Since its inception, the GLCM groups visited many countries such as Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Malaysia, Thailand, and India.
TESTIMONIALS
WHAT OUR ALUMNI SAY:
“Such a great and rich experience! Visiting top companies, meeting their CEO’s and top engineers and having great site visits for mega project, widened my whole perspective in construction management to encompass a new aspect for globalization in our industry. Not mentioning the magnificent educational and cultural tours we had in turkey. I ‘m really glad and proud to be a member of the GLCM.”
— Omar Al-Alrawi '13
"GLCM helped broaden my scope of knowledge on construction and gave it a global perspective. Studying the Turkish market by visiting several prestigious and brilliantly engineered projects in Istanbul was an enriching opportunity presented to us. Working with colleagues who represented several countries including India, China, Greece, Costa Rica, South Korea, Qatar, and Turkey proved to be a unique experience."
— Purva Nimbalkar '13
“GLCM is an exciting opportunity for first-hand experience within the Construction industry, researching the latest technological trends, and connecting with top executives from global companies around the world. This program has helped to prepare me for the limitless opportunities available for construction engineering and management professionals looking to make their mark on the world."
— Chris Guilcapi '18