Discover and share good practice for smarter working universities

The higher education estate: delivering effective space use

Research into space efficiency in higher education suggests that universities have successfully adapted buildings to accommodate current patterns of working. Sian Kilner, who helped to carry out the research, says space management will become even more vital as cash to invest in redeveloping universities reduces.

Innovative spaces and pedagogies for enhanced teaching and learning

The rise in tuition fees over recent years has made delivering value to students increasingly important, placing renewed spotlight on the quality of teaching and learning spaces within higher education. A recent forum event, hosted by FaulknerBrowns Architects, explored how innovative teaching and learning spaces could support radical new pedagogies.
©Jisc and Matt Lincoln, CC BY-NC-ND.

Universities challenged to make the most of their space

Every element of space in universities needs to be challenged, an expert in designing spaces for learning told Jisc Digifest on Wednesday. In his keynote speech to the event in Birmingham, University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s professor of practice Andrew Harrison said that across the sector, expensive facilities are being minimised.

Delivering value from the education estate

At today's Higher and Further Education show Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr, director of estates and campus services at the University of Roehampton and Sian Kilner director of Kilner Planning will be highlighting research into how the higher education estate is delivering value. Here are some relevant posts that they have contributed.
Engineering and Computing Building

Summer on the campus

University campuses are no longer deserted during July and August. Rosie Niven looks at how estates managers are making their assets pay for themselves during the long summer holiday.

Developing efficient and sustainable buildings

A sustainable building is usually an efficient one and when new build and refurbishment projects are designed with future decades in mind, they can save money in running costs, maintenance and redevelopment. With this in mind, the University of Edinburgh is developing guidance on how building and redevelopment projects should be conducted as Andrew Arnott explains.
Picture credit: University of Wolverhampton

The higher education estate – investing in quality

Research for the efficiency review shows that University buildings are in better condition and more fit for purpose, compared with the previous decade. But as Sian Kilner explains, effective estate management will be vital for meeting the challenges to come.
Architect blueprint

New classrooms for a new curriculum

As classrooms become more connected through students' use of their own devices in lectures and seminars, universities are responding in exciting ways. Gunter Saunders and Federica Oradini describe how the University of Westminster is embracing these changes by transforming their classrooms.
SUPC

How collaboration between procurement and estates is delivering value for money

With universities spending billions on estates, the relationship between estates and procurement services is key. Three members of the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium have described how their institutions are building closer relationships between these two departments, which are delivering savings and better value for money.

The role and value of the HE estate

A well-managed estate can help a university to improve student and staff satisfaction, generate an income and reduce overheads. In the first of our blogposts focusing on estate management, Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr explains how universities are maximising the value from their portfolios.