UCL is set to open a design and technology hub in East London
UCL is to build a new second campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, to form part of a wider Education and Cultural Quarter following the government’s announcement of £141m in support of the project.
UCL East, expected to open in 2018, is envisaged as a radical new model of how a university campus can be embedded in the local community and with businesses, as well as providing world-leading research, education, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Key to the site will be the university’s first school of design and the Centre for Experimental Engineering, which will be established to address the acute skills shortage in engineering.
The UCL Generator which will build on UCL’s existing world-class activities in design to open the university’s first School of Design.
The School will offer a new taught courses in Design alongside research and innovation opportunities.
A new UCL Centre for Engineering Education will be established to develop new approaches to experiential learning in engineering, alongside prototyping and manufacturing facilities, which will be housed in the new UCL Make Space East.
There will be cutting-edge large-scale fabrication and prototype development facilities which – as well as being available to research staff and students – will be made available for industry collaboration to help boost growth.
UCL will also seek partners to develop a new engineering apprenticeship scheme for local young people, to equip them with the skills to become the next generation of engineers.
Another new centre will focus on technology – with a series of incubators integrating research activities and technology development alongside businesses of a variety of sizes.
It will focus on innovating and commercialising in three thematic areas, including biological devices labs; a facility for creating and fabricating wearable sensors technology, and a facility to focus on wellbeing being forged through technology and environments.
Expected to cover 11 acres and provide up to 125,000m2 of space, the first major construction phase of the development establishing an operational presence on the Park by autumn 2018.
A second phase of the development will deliver an additional space of up to 85,000 m2 with an anticipated opening date of 2020, with details to be confirmed.
