Investing in the future

Topping the list of new facilities will be the Forum (pictured) a stunning new £48 million student services building to be constructed in the centre of the campus. It will feature an extended library, new teaching space including a 400-seater auditorium, frontline services for students like careers and counselling, new retail facilities and a new University reception. Designed by international architects Wilkinson Eyre, work is due to begin in January 2010 and be completed by December 2011. Some 'enabling works' will take place over the summer and autumn.

Other projects include:

• A new Business School building. The project will cost £18 million and is part of a wider £25 million investment in the School over the next three years. This expansion will enable the Business School to double its annual turnover and will create more than 60 new jobs. The Business is number one in the country for student satisfaction. Its research quality places it in the top 20 in the UK. Building work is expected to start in July 2009.
• New labs and aquarium for Biosciences. This project is underway and will create world-leading facilities for Biosciences. It entails an £18 million refurbishment of the Geoffrey Pope building. The first stages of the project include creating a state-of-the-art aquarium facility and laboratories for research on ecotoxicology, cell biology and molecular genetics. £5 million has already been invested to improve the main teaching lab and a section of the research facilities. Work will be completed in the spring of 2010.
• International students centre. Project number three has planning permission and work is expected to start in July. It is associated with the INTO University of Exeter partnership. This is a new venture to bring international students to Exeter a year earlier than normal to undertake pre-degree programmes of study. If they reach the required standard they will then progress to full degree programmes. It represents a £47m investment in the city by INTO, which is a leading international student recruitment company. Central to the INTO project is a new study centre and associated student accommodation.
• More on-campus accommodation. Project number four relates to a £130m investment in more student accommodation on our campuses The aim of the project is to free up more  private rented accommodation in the city for local families. The proposed new accommodation – 2,700 places - would be delivered by a private sector partner, University Partnerships Programme (UPP).

The University is also one of the principal partners in a new £120 million Science Park planned for the outskirts of Exeter. The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) has agreed to invest up to £19 million to enable Devon County Council to buy the 23 hectare site east of the M5, near Junction 29 at Redhayes, and provide the infrastructure to open up the Science Park by 2010. Work to bring the project to this stage has been done through a partnership of the RDA, the University of Exeter, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, East Devon District Council and the Met Office.

The science park will attract knowledge intensive firms to Exeter and will also enable the development of new businesses. It will link strongly with the University of Exeter Innovation Centre, which provides start-up units for new knowledge-intensive businesses.