This article follows a paper ‘Bridging the Gap’ presented to the International Conference on Research and Higher Education in Building Construction which was held in Paris in February 1994. The paper looked at how the School of Construction, Housing and Surveying at the University of Westminster has worked with the building construction industry in the context of two of the conference themes: these were how to train through research and how to involve industry in higher education and research. This article expands on the previous examination of these themes and suggests how the approach could contribute to a fresh approach to training and education. It reviews the progress so far on this initiative and looks to the future to provide even more fruitful models for universities and industry to work together on higher education and research.