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STUDENT CHALLENGE

When AI Joins the FM Team:
Rethinking Roles, Relationships, and Responsibility 

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Get ready to take on the World Workplace Europe 2026 FM Student Challenge — your chance to boost your skills, expand your network, and make your mark in the FM world!

You’ll join a team a few weeks before the event to start working on the challenge online. Then, on 12 March, you’ll pitch your solution live on stage at World Workplace Europe, right in front of a professional jury. At the end of the day, we’ll announce the winning team on-site.

Ready to step up? This is your moment!

2026 FM STUDENT CHALLENGE TOPIC:
When AI Joins the FM Team: Rethinking Roles, Relationships, and Responsibility 

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents are becoming part of the organizational fabric, not only enhancing decision-making, but also coordinating work, performing tasks, and interacting directly with people. Inspired by IFMA’s recent research report ‘The Rise of the FM Analyst’, this year’s challenge explores what happens when AI isn’t just a tool: it’s a teammate, a supervisor, a robotic co-worker, and even a trusted advisor. What does this mean for how FM teams are structured? And how do people feel, respond, and adapt? 

Your Scenario:
You are part of a mid-sized FM team responsible for a multi-use facility in The Hague. The team is made up of both human professionals and AI agents, some of which have operational roles, while others provide strategic insight or even manage other employees: 

Challenge

Your Challenge:
Choose one or more of the following scenarios to explore:

Scenario 1: When Your Boss Is an AI

Imagine reporting to the Maintenance Scheduler or being invited to meeting by the Assistant to the Director.

  • How does this impact motivation, autonomy, and trust?
  • Can performance evaluations by AI be fair or supportive?
  • Would you feel comfortable questioning or disagreeing with your AI “boss”?

Scenario 2: AI Errors, Bias, and Conflict

The Risk Management Analyst mistakenly flags a technician for non-compliance. Or the Security Agent wrongly identifies someone as a threat.

  • Who is responsible when AI gets it wrong?
  • How are conflicts or grievances handled when decisions are machine-generated?
  • Can AI systems learn from mistakes-and should they be accountable?

Scenario 3: Emotional Bonds with Machines

A cleaner works nightly with a Cleaning Bot. Or the Assistant to the Director becomes a source of daily support.

  • Can emotional connections with AI be healthy or harmful?
  • Should workplace policies address human-machine relationships?
  • What does this mean for team dynamics and psychological safety?

Scenario 4: Decommissioning an AI Colleague

After years of collaboration, the Data Insights Lead is retired.

  • Would the team feel a sense of loss?
  • Should there be rituals-farewells, acknowledgments-for “departing” AI agents?
  • How do humans process the departure of a non-human teammate?

Scenario 5: Safeguarding and the Human-AI Workplace

With AI agents and robots integrated at every level, what safeguards are needed?

  • Should there be an AI Ethics Officer or a Human-AI Relationship Manager?
  • What onboarding or psychological preparation is required?
  • How do we ensure that the FM workplace remains ethical and human-centered?

Your Task:
Work in teams of 3-4 students to complete the following:

1-Minute Video:

  • Produce a short, creative video that dramatizes or explores the scenario(s) your team selected.

5-Minute Pitch Presentation:

Deliver a live presentation to industry experts. Your pitch should:

  • Describe the scenario(s) you explored
  • Reflect on the implications for FM practice
  • Propose a recommendation for how the FM organizational structure should evolve (see below)

Final Output: What Should Change?

After exploring your chosen scenario(s), your team must answer:

  • Should the FM organizational chart stay the same, adapt, or be redesigned?
  • What new roles, policies, or training should be introduced?
  • How can FM leaders prepare their teams-human and AI-for a shared future?

Evaluation Criteria:

  • Relevance & Insight: Clear understanding of AI’s impact on FM
  • Creativity: Original, engaging video and pitch
  • Feasibility: Realistic and thoughtful recommendations
  • Team Collaboration: Cohesive effort and shared presentation
  • Vision: A compelling view of how FM should evolve in a human-AI world

Students who are selected will have an opportunity to:

  • Receive complimentary tickets to attend World Workplace Europe on 11-12 March 2026
  • Network and connect with potential employers and FM professionals
  • Meet with other FM students and young professionals
  • Receive a reference letter from partner associations
  • Winners of the Student Challenge will receive a complimentary pass to World Workplace 2026 in Anaheim, California USA on 18-20 November 2026 (including accommodations, excluding flight and other travel costs.)

Who can participate?

We’re looking for enthusiastic and motivated students working on a Bachelors or Masters degree to participate in the Student Challenge. Students can be local or international and must be able to attend World Workplace Europe in person to participate in the presentation. Approximately 12-16 students will be selected for the challenge, so make sure to apply now as spots are limited! 

How to apply

Students who are interested in participating in the Student Challenge can apply by sending their motivational letter to Pleun van Deurssen at pleun@eurofm.org by 8 February 2026.