Abertay University announces major campus investment
Artist's impression of the new exterior
Abertay University is to invest around £3 million in a significant refurbishment of part of its campus this year – the first phase of a major improvement of facilities at the University which is planned over the next few years.
A phased programme of works will see its key science laboratories remodelled and upgraded, and the creation of a new science suite for teaching, research and knowledge exchange.
The works will also involve creating an exciting new exterior with recladding of part of the University’s main Kydd Building.
Externally, the project will extend Abertay’s characteristic ‘green and terracotta’ campus style across more of the building, as well as contributing to reducing its environmental impact by improving its energy efficiency.
Internally, the project will create several hundred square metres of modern, up-to-date teaching and research accommodation, with much more natural daylight and greater flexibility of use.
The investment will be a significant upgrade of existing laboratories.
These laboratories and teaching spaces are currently occupied by Abertay’s School of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET), one of its four main academic units.
SET will use the new facilities for its teaching and research activities across a range of courses in science and technology that require specialist laboratories.
The works will begin over the summer and continue until the end of the year, with the most disruptive phases scheduled for the summer vacation.
Professor Nigel Seaton, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Abertay University, said: “This is an important project for Abertay. Although like all Scottish universities we are facing some financial challenges, we are committed to investing in top-notch facilities for our staff and students.”
(Ends)
Notes for editors
The Kydd Building was originally built in three phases between 1970 and 1975 as a major extension of the University’s campus on Bell Street, providing space for greatly enlarged teaching facilities, a bigger library and a new refectory. It has subsequently been extensively modernized internally and in 2009/10 was substantially reclad to match the evolving Abertay campus style developed in the Library (1998) and the Student Centre (2005).
The School of Science, Engineering and Technology teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in civil engineering, environmental management, forensic sciences, biomedical science, environmental science, and food and drink science and technology, as well as ground-breaking research in many of these areas.
For media enquiries, please contact Kevin Coe, Media and Communications Director, Abertay University, E: k.coe@abertay.ac.uk T: 01382 308452 M: 07850 904110
