The University of Bath’s School of Management is to get a £70m new home as it steps up its ambition to be among the best institutions of its kind in the world.
The university, which this week received planning permission for the new building on its Claverton campus, said the investment would ensure School of Management – and the wider university – is able to compete and thrive globally “particularly as Brexit unfolds”.
It described the landmark building as an “inspiring space” that will enable the school to move to the next stage in the development of its teaching, research and student experience – so strengthening its already strong position among UK business schools and supporting its aim of becoming a top 50 global business school.
The school was ranked first for Marketing, third for Accounting and Finance and fourth for Business and Management Studies in the latest Complete University Guide. It is a leading centre for management research, placed eighth in the UK in the latest research evaluation exercise.
The new building is expected to create more than 100 jobs and contribute more than £240m to the economy of Bath & North East Somerset over 25 years.
It 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 university said the intention was to foster entrepreneurial thinking that develops a vibrant ecosystem of inspiration, initiation and acceleration that would establish the school as an anchor point in the local and regional business community.
London-based Hopkins Architects has been commissioned by the university to design the new building. The practice has pioneered British architecture since 1976, working on showpiece projects such as the London 2012 Velodrome and the Wellcome Trust’s Gibbs Building in London as well as high-quality educational buildings at universities including Cambridge, University College London, Princeton and Harvard.
Key features of the building, which will open for the 2020/2021 academic year, 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
It will also 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 now being built on campus to open this autumn.
Dean of the School of Management and university vice-president (corporate engagement) Prof Veronica Hope Hailey 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.”
The university, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is one of the UK’s leaders for both its research and reputation for excellence in teaching, learning and graduate prospects.
Some 87% of its research has been defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research projects range from making aircraft more fuel efficient, to identifying infectious diseases more quickly, or cutting carbon emissions through innovative building solutions.
Image of new School of Management buiding courtesy of Hopkins Architects
