Defining the conceptual competencies framework for physical facilities management of higher education institution

• Published in: Malaysian Construction Research Journal
• Main Author: Safiee L.S.; Baharum Z.A.; Ibrahim M.N.; Ramli R.R.; Hasim M.S.; Abdullah A.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Construction Research Institute of Malaysia 2020
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85101938010&partnerID=40&md5=d027642be465c19180ca2ad923fe1dc4

Managing the physical facilities of higher education is complex and challenging due to the users' different requirements among programs, departments, and faculties. Thus, the role of the facilities management team is essential to ensure it meets the institution's business objectives. A competent facilities manager and team are vital, which can support the facilities management practice for higher education institution in line with its vision and mission. This paper aims to identify the relevant facilities management competencies based on professional practice with the objective to suggest the most suitable competencies criteria for managing the physical facilities of the higher education institution. A content analysis was engaged to six (6) professional bodies established competencies and literature review. The research revealed that a total of 22 competencies are designed to manage physical facilities for the organisation. Moreover, the highest ranked criteria were the business support services management and adopted by all professional institutions, followed by sustainability, finance and IT criteria. As for managing the uniqueness of physical assets in a higher education institution, the additional competencies required are the current government policies and strategic management, technology technology-related tools, business strategy and asset strategy, and multitasking skills. Indeed, these competencies may help the higher education institution in managing their physical facilities more effectively. © 2020, Construction Research Institute of Malaysia. All rights reserved.