£200 million facility opens at Oxford University

The University says it has the potential to tackle global challenges.

Author: Ellie RobsonPublished 15th Oct 2025

Oxford University has opened the Life and Mind Building, a £200 million teaching and research facility at the centre of Oxford, designed to address major global challenges.

The new building is one of the largest in the university’s history and houses the Departments of Biology and Experimental Psychology, as well as the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research.

Developed and funded by Legal & General through its annuity portfolio, the building is part of a larger £4 billion partnership between Oxford University and Legal & General to create academic spaces, research infrastructure, and housing.

The Life and Mind Building features more than 269,000 square feet of space for teaching, research, innovation, and public engagement. It will support over 1,400 scientists, academics, researchers, support staff, and postgraduate students, and also serve as the main teaching location for around 1,000 undergraduate students with modern lecture halls and classrooms.

The building enables researchers to investigate fundamental questions about humanity and respond to global issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, mental health, and food security. It will promote interdisciplinary projects, including research into the connections between natural and artificial intelligence.

A pioneering centre, the Oxford Centre for Emerging Minds Research, will also be located in the building. Supported by a £27 million donation from The Paul Foundation, the centre will focus on improving mental health outcomes for children, young people, and families.

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