NICMAR University will host the 10th International Conference on Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Project Management (ICCRIP 2026) on August 21-22, 2026, at its Baner campus in Pune. The two-day event brings together industry leaders, researchers, and practitioners to address how India can deliver large-scale infrastructure projects while meeting sustainability goals.
The conference opened with a focus on sustainable urban development, institutional capacity, and project delivery - areas that matter directly to professionals working as India's construction and infrastructure sectors expand. Day 1 featured a panel discussion titled "Building Sustainable Cities: Bridging Policy, Capacity, and Project Delivery," which examined the gap between urban development policy and on-ground execution.
Mr. Jayanta Basu, Managing Director of Cemindia Projects Limited, attended as Chief Guest. Mr. Don Ward, Chief Executive of CIB, UK, was Guest of Honour. Dr. Vijay Gupchup, President of NICMAR University Pune and Chief Patron of ICCRIP 2026, addressed the inaugural session.
What the conference is addressing
Dr. Gupchup said: "India's cities and infrastructure are expanding at a pace that demands new thinking around how we plan, build and deliver projects. The discussions at ICCRIP 2026 reinforced that sustainable development cannot be achieved through policy or technology alone; it requires skilled professionals, stronger institutional capacity and closer collaboration between academia, industry and policymakers."
Speakers across the sessions emphasized that project delivery is becoming more complex as infrastructure and urban development scale up. They called for multidisciplinary capabilities, sustainability embedded across the project lifecycle, and stronger knowledge exchange between academia and industry. The broader point: technical know-how alone won't close the delivery gap.
For professionals in construction and real estate, the conference's focus on bridging policy and execution reflects a practical reality - projects increasingly fail on coordination and capacity, not just engineering. The role of AI for Real Estate & Construction is part of that shift, as digital tools change how project teams plan, monitor, and report progress.
Conference structure and segments
ICCRIP 2026 spans seven segments: Research Papers, Case Studies, Practitioners' Perspectives, Doctoral Colloquium, Hackathon, Paper Development Workshop, Editors' Conclave, and an Industry Showcase. Day 2, on August 22, continues with technical sessions and expert-led discussions focused on connecting research with real-world application.
The conference format reflects NICMAR's positioning as an institution dedicated to the built environment. Established in 1983, NICMAR is an autonomous, not-for-profit institute focused exclusively on construction, real estate, infrastructure, and project management education. It operates four campuses in Pune, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai.
Those working in project-heavy roles may find the emphasis on delivery capacity directly relevant to their daily work. For project managers in the sector, structured training in AI for Project Managers addresses a growing expectation to use data-driven tools for scheduling, risk assessment, and resource allocation - skills that the conference speakers identified as increasingly important.
Why this matters for real estate and construction professionals
The takeaway from ICCRIP 2026's opening day is that India's infrastructure pipeline will test the industry's ability to deliver, not just design. The conference's emphasis on institutional capacity and multidisciplinary skills points to a practical need: professionals who can manage complex projects, integrate sustainability into execution, and work across policy and delivery boundaries will be better positioned as the sector scales.
For those in the field, the signal is clear - technical expertise remains necessary, but the industry is moving toward professionals who can connect project execution with broader policy and sustainability requirements. That shift will shape hiring, training, and career development in the coming years.
Your membership also unlocks:
