Teaching space enhancements improve student experience

A new computer lab, new architecture studio and refurbished student union are among campus enhancements benefitting students and staff this new academic year.

Refurbishment projects designed and delivered by our Estates team to tight deadlines over the summer have provided expanded spaces that better meet the needs of those who use them for teaching and study.

The work is part of long-term strategic campus development, supporting efforts to remain an attractive destination for students and invest in potential growth subjects.

Computer Sciences lab

A large 150 seat computer lab has been created in the Polly Vacher building on our Whiteknights campus.

The new lab will allow the new cohort of computer science students to be taught in a single space, using the latest technology in fully refurbished surroundings.

This will vastly improve the student experience, whilst also improving the staff experience through a reduction in the number of times staff need to teach the same class.

The project was a collaboration between Estates and DTS colleagues, working closely with end users in the department of Computer Science and the wider School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences.

Outside of teaching times, the lab is a drop-in computer room for students.

Architecture teaching room

A new studio for practical study for Architecture students was also created at London Road by refurbishing and repurposing building L027.

The studio will allow the art of ‘creating’ to flourish, with students able to discuss their designs with their tutors, work in groups, or work individually on their own building models.

Students’ Union refurbishment

In addition to the University teaching space enhancements, Reading Students’ Union facilities have also been refurbished.

The work, overseen and enabled by Estates as landlord but funded by the Students’ Union, included full refurbishments of Mojos bar and the renamed Glitch and Flex social spaces.

Glitch (formerly Monterey Lounge) is now a games room offering table tennis, shuffleboard, pool and darts. Flex (formerly Café Mondial) is a bookable space with a projector and now has reupholstered furniture and new lighting.

The main Mojos bar now has larger tables, a new bar, screens and sound system, while 3SIXTY and the Students’ Union corridor space have also been redecorated.