Allan is a chartered quantity surveyor (MRICS) and has a research degree from Loughborough University (MSc) based on a thesis, "Regression analysis for contractors: An assessment of its potential". He was formerly one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) in the then Department For Education with special responsibilities for Surveying education throughout the United Kingdom. He is a former lecturer at the University of Salford in quantity surveying and construction economics.
He has written 25 books, which include subsequent editions, and over 250 papers in journals, professional publications and conference papers.
Allan is a Senior Academic Advisor to the Centre for Education in the Built Environment (CEBE), which is based jointly at the University of Cardiff and the University of Salford. He is also the Adjunct Professor in quantity surveying at Unitec in New Zealand. He now works primarily in education consultancy with, for example, The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), The Higher Education Academy, The Welsh Office, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), CITB-ConstructionSkills and Foundation Degree Forward (FDF).
He has extensive experience in external examining, validation, inspection, accreditation, assessment, subject review and quality assurance in the United Kingdom and worldwide. In different roles, he has visited most departments offering building and surveying programmes throughout the world.
Allan sees major changes occurring in higher education within the current decade. Collaboration and the sharing of best practices will be an essential key to success as more and more will be expected from universities. Changes in programme delivery will be developed and these will include the increased use of information and learning technologies in order to meet government and funding councils' expectations.
Allan's major research interests have been in cost modelling and whole life costing. He is also keenly interested in the philosophy behind Constructing Excellence and its predecessors Rethinking Construction and The Construction Best Practice Programme, believing these to offer a positive way forward for everyone in the construction industry.
