The University of Bath has received the go ahead for a new home on their Claverton campus for its globally respected School of Management.
The University of Bath is investing £70 million in a landmark building to enable the School of Management to move to the next stage in the development of its teaching, research and student experience; strengthening its position among UK business schools and supporting its aim of becoming a top 50 global business school.
The project is anticipated to create over 100 new jobs and is expected to bring considerable benefits to the city and wider economy.
It is predicted to add over £240 million of value to the local economy of Bath & North East Somerset over 25 years.
The building will feature an open layout to enable joint working to flourish, supporting the school’s core philosophies of ‘engagement, education and collaboration’ and inspiring partnerships between students, academics across the university, and corporate partners.
The intention is to foster entrepreneurial thinking that develops a vibrant ecosystem of inspiration, initiation and acceleration to establish the School of Management as an anchor point in the local and regional business community.
The university is working with Hopkins Architects which has pioneered British architecture since 1976 on projects throughout the world including the London 2012 Velodrome; the Wellcome Trust’s Gibbs Building; and high-quality educational buildings at universities including Cambridge, University College London, Princeton and Harvard.
The building will open for the 2020/2021 academic year. Key features include:
- A ‘Student Entrepreneurship Lab’ to support student business creation and innovation;
- A Behavioural Research Lab to support studies of consumer behaviour, workplace interactions and decision-making in real and digital environments;
- State of the art teaching spaces, including a suite for MBA students.
The new building will pave the way for an increase in postgraduate students in the school, largely through the creation of new courses, strengthening the university’s research portfolio and supporting its ambition to become an international leader in graduate education.
New postgraduate accommodation is currently being built on campus and will open in autumn 2018.
Professor Veronica Hope Hailey, Dean of the School of Management and Vice-President (Corporate Engagement) of the University of Bath, said: “This new building will harness our energy and conviction for world class research and teaching, driving creativity, ambition and innovation.
“The investment will ensure that the School and University can compete and thrive globally, particularly as Brexit unfolds.
“We are delighted to have retained Hopkins Architects and are confident that they will create an inspiring space where staff, students, employers, researchers and returning alumni all choose to spend time with one another.
“We look forward to a landmark building which embodies our understanding of a 21st century management school and enhances our mission to inspire the next generation of leaders.”
