Space related projects in HE from the
Leadership Governance and Management Fund

Universities of Loughborough (lead HEI) Nottingham Trent and Leicester

Innovative, effective, enjoyable? Creating the evidence base to deliver productive academic workplaces

Higher education sector work environments are changing: Examples of innovative work settings and practices are emerging from a backdrop of traditional, cellular offices. Yet the literature on delivery and subsequent impact of academic office environments remains scant.

To address this knowledge gap, Loughborough University is leading a HEFCE-funded study of innovative academic office environments, in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University and the University of Leicester. This project will deliver guidance documents for policy makers, estates personnel, HEI senior managers & design/project managers, in addition to the recently launched Academic Workspace forum.

The Academic Workspace Forum provides a platform for exchanging thinking, experiences and good practice regarding office environments and build projects in the Higher Education sector. The forum events to date have yielded some really interesting debates around issues in this area. Key messages include:

• Whilst delivering value for money is central to obtaining funding for new work environments,
  many academics still don't consider the cost of the space they use: 'Space is seen as free'.
• Workspace provision is a significant factor in the recruitment and retention of academic staff, and the wider estate plays an increasingly important role in the recruitment of students. However, capital projects in HE are often beset by problems such as poor user consultation, inefficient decision-making, lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibilities, and an absence of common success criteria (with different stakeholders pursuing contradictory goals).
• There's also a lack of understanding between academics and estates professionals about their respective jobs, often due to poor communication. The result is an "us and them" attitude that colours projects from the start.

As the project moves into the second phase of its 18 month course, the researchers are keen to engage with Vice Chancellors and other senior managers to capture their perspective on this topic. Find out how you or your university can become involved, by contacting Dr Jennifer Parkin (jennifer.parkin@ntu.ac.uk, 0115 848 2652).

About the Academic Workspace Forum
The Academic Workspace Forum provides a platform for exchanging thinking, experiences and good practice regarding office environments and build projects in the Higher Education sector. The forum is targeted at HE senior managers, design practitioners, and estates personnel, but is also open to anyone who has an interest in creating more productive office-based academic work environments.

Our Academic Workspace Forum events are held approximately once a quarter and provide an opportunity for us to disseminate and obtain feedback on our latest findings. Each event is hosted at a different HEI, and also includes workshop sessions on aspects of workspace design and delivery, as well as tours of recent build projects and refurbishments.
Find further information at www.academicworkspace.com

Project Overview - PDF | 120kb

Read about the Lincoln Project