Plans for £35m Aberdeen University science hub unveiled

The new building will feature cutting edge facilities and flexible teaching laboratory space which will encourage collaboration between students from different disciplines

Published 1st Sep 2017

Aberdeen Uni's unveiled plans for a new £35m science building on campus.

It’s hoped the new Science Teaching Hub that will transform the learning experience for thousands of students and encourage school children to get involved in science subjects.

The new building will feature cutting edge facilities and flexible teaching laboratory space which will encourage collaboration between students from different disciplines. It’ll also be the main building for teaching laboratories for students studying, chemistry, physiology, biomedical sciences, geosciences and biological sciences.

The University has identified a site on its Old Aberdeen campus for the building - just off St Machar Drive near the Fraser Noble building, student Hub and Sir Duncan Rice Library.

You’re being asked to have your say with a public consultation launching today, Friday 1st September. It’s giving you the chance to take a look at the plans, as well as speak to the University staff involved and the building’s architects.

If approved, it is hoped that the building will be available for teaching in 2021.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen said: “We are extremely excited about this new Science Teaching Hub and the benefits it will bring to our students.

“Our lecturers are world-leading and with this new facility, they will have cutting-edge resources to enable them to deliver the very highest standard of teaching. Overall it will lead to a first class learning environment for our students and will help us continue to attract the brightest minds from all over the world to come and study and live in the north-east of Scotland.”

Professor Dame Anne Glover, Vice-Principal of External Affairs, added: “Society’s biggest problems will only be solved by scientists from different disciplines working together. These new open plan laboratories will provide an environment where science students from different disciplines can be taught together in a collaborative environment similar to the situation often found in their subsequent careers.

“The highly flexible space will also enable us to enhance our public engagement and widening access activities such as school children visits and workshops.”

The first public consultation event will be held at the Sir Duncan Rice Library on September 26 between 2pm and 8pm. No booking is required