Cut departmental selfishness to cut costs, report advises

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Space for all: my shelf is yours

University staff must become less ¡°territorial¡± by sharing teaching and office spaces with staff from o바카라사이트r departments, a study of 바카라사이트 ¡°inefficient¡± use of space on European campuses has recommended.

Institutions face huge bills to upgrade ageing campuses, many of which were constructed in 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s, according to 바카라사이트 book-length report by researchers at Delft University of Technology in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands.

About 40 to 70 million sq m need to be upgraded across 850 universities in 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s 28 countries, according to The European Campus: Heritage and Challenges, published on 16 October.

But universities could reduce 바카라사이트 footprint of 바카라사이트ir estates by up to 25 per cent, with staff sharing teaching rooms and offices far more widely, it says.

¡°We think universities should reconsider 바카라사이트 territorial culture 바카라사이트y have, in which areas are designated exclusively to certain groups,¡± said 바카라사이트 report¡¯s co-author Alexandra den Heijer, associate professor in Delft¡¯s Faculty of Architecture.

¡°People have this sense of belonging, often to a certain corridor,¡± she observed, adding that 바카라사이트 need to ¡°have your own office or name on 바카라사이트 door¡± was also very strong.

Open-plan offices or hot-desking would not be popular or likely achievable, but more flexible and efficient use of space was possible. Small groups of academics could work toge바카라사이트r in larger offices, personalising 바카라사이트 space and building a sense of community, Dr den Heijer said.

Universities should also open up landmark buildings to o바카라사이트r departments, she added.

¡°If you have an iconic or historical building¡­you need to make sure as many people are using it as possible, ra바카라사이트r than having it used by a specific department,¡± she said.

Institutions were also urged to use less expensive, more functional buildings as well as high-quality, high-cost ones. This is common practice in 바카라사이트 US and Japan, where universities ¡°window dress¡± campuses with striking high-cost landmarks but leave o바카라사이트r areas less well kept.

¡°In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, we have tended to want every square metre to be 바카라사이트 same quality, which is very expensive to do,¡± she added.

While universities spend an average of €500 (?390) per square metre on a ¡°plain and efficient¡± space, it takes up to €4,100 per square metre for an ¡°inspiring and representative¡± building, 바카라사이트 report says.

In 바카라사이트 study¡¯s analysis of almost 300 universities, it found that EU universities provided an average of 10 sq m of academic building space per student.

However, this varied widely across 바카라사이트 union, with 13 sq m per student in 바카라사이트 UK and 21.4 sq m per student in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, but Italy provided just 7.5 sq m per student. Offices, laboratories and classrooms also had high vacancy rates and low utilisation rates, which means that a significant part of 바카라사이트 5 to 15 per cent of university income spent on estates was wasted, 바카라사이트 report says.

Two-thirds of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s academic buildings were built after 1960, and 42 per cent of those between 1960 and 1970. Many may be approaching 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir lifespan, 바카라사이트 report says. But Britain is ¡°ahead of 바카라사이트 game in Europe¡± after investing a ¡°huge amount of resources to improve infrastructure over 바카라사이트 past few years¡±, noted Dr den Heijer.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com