Campus Spotlight – Autumn/Winter 2020

CAMPUS

SPOTLIGHT THE CATALYST

AUTUMN/ WINTER 2020

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ESPORTS EXPANSION

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CENTRE FOR HEALTH INNOVATION

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A closer look at our latest campus transformation projects

BUILDING OUR CONNECTED FUTURE

By Andrew Proctor, Pro Vice Chancellor – Digital and Dr. Adrian Rowlands – Director of Estates and Commercial Services

Welcome to our first estates newsletter showcasing a range of the developments that have taken place during the second half of 2020 across our University campuses as well as some of our ongoing projects going into 2021.

Its been a busy year on a campus transformation front as we progress towards our 2030 campus masterplan and we are delighted to share the journey we have made with you so far.

Across our campuses, we now have a number of landmark projects quickly progressing from The Catalyst on our Leek Road site to the new Centre of Health Innovation in Stafford.

We’ll also soon be commencing the construction of our most sustainable building yet with our Nursery and Forest School.

Digital integration and sustainability are at the forefront of our latest developments and our newest projects will set the stage for future campus developments to come. Driven by personalised experiences and the latest simulation technology, we continue to move towards making Staffordshire the UK’s foremost digital university.

Teams across the University have been instrumental in taking each and every single one of these projects forward. From designing the buildings to managing the construction and the maintenance of the projects to coordinating and inputting into the facilities, service provisions, technologies, and end-use of our new buildings and spaces.

Our collective hard work has already been recognised externally and we are extremely proud to have seen our Staffordshire University London campus at Here East recognised in the recent Education Estates Awards. Not only did our facilities at London win the award for Innovation In Teaching and Learning, we were also shortlisted for Inspiring

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Learning Spaces which shows we’re heading in the right direction with our transformation projects.

But the work doesn’t end here.

Campus transformation is an ongoing journey and we can’t wait for you to see what we have in the pipeline. Behind the scenes, there are also a wide variety of additional campus projects in development and early-stage discussions. We are looking to continue to invest in modernising and enhancing our facilities as we move into the next decade. Our aim is to push the boundaries and further transform the working and learning environment here at the University. We will continue to share updates as these exciting developments are taken forwards in the coming weeks and months.

We hope you take the time to learn more about some of our campus transformation projects in this newsletter edition and we look forward to showcasing more in the future.

STAFFORD SITE

NEW CENTRE FOR HEALTH INNOVATION

At A Glance

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LEEK ROAD SITE TRANSFORMATION

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The Catalyst

Ashley 2 - New Clinical Suite and Immersive Rooms

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Science Centre - Science Centre Door Replacement

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- New Breast-Feeding Room

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New Nursery and Forest School River Trent Restoration ERDF SUNRISE Project

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COLLEGE ROAD SITE TRANSFORMATION

Mellor building - Staffordshire Advanced Materials Incubation and Accelerator Centre (SAMIAC)

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Cadman - Games Design Expansion

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Beacon building - Esports expansion project

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Film Theatre, Dwight - Maintenance work on College Road

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STAFFORD SITE TRANSFORMATION Centre of Excellence for Healthcare Education, Stafford - New Centre for Health Innovation

LEEK ROAD SITE

BEACON BUILDING

THE CATALYST A FLAGSHIP £40M PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL HUB

ESPORTS EXPANSION PROJECT

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AT A GLANCE Although many of us have been away from campus, the work hasn’t stopped on our Campus Transformation programmes.

Our teams and contractors have been working around the clock to transform many areas across the University from The Catalyst Building to the Science Centre as well as planning future programmes and schemes.

Take a look at some of the latest exciting developments happening here at the University.

New Nursery and Forest School

Games Design Expansion

We’re investing in a new purpose built day care nursery with additional capacity for a classroom, an observational suite with leading digital technology and a forest school facility.

Expansion of our existing Games Design facilities in Cadman.

Esports Expansion

Staffordshire Advanced Materials Incubation and Accelerator Centre (SAMIAC)

Alterations within rooms T203 and T204 to create a larger space for esports students.

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Flaxman, Dwight, Henrion, Ember Lounge Maintenance works and internal painting and decorating in multiple buildings on our College Road site.

Developing a University Enterprise Zone in advanced materials including incubation units, offices and a dedicated lab following the award of a Research England Development Fund grant.

The Catalyst A flagship £40m physical and virtual hub which aims to connect employers, students, and apprentices from across the Midlands and beyond.

Ashley 2 Construction works on brand-new clinical suite and immersive rooms fitted with new CAE LearningSpace simulation technology.

Staffordshire University Digital Institute London

Science Centre A brand new accessible and modern entrance lobby with automatic doors has been completed on campus along with a new breast-feeding room.

Work has taken place over the summer on soundproofing and ventilation on campus plus changing the layout of the Esports Arena.

River Trent Restoration The river restoration project is part of SUNRISE, a £3.6 million urban conservation initiative focusing on restoring and improving natural habitats at 16 sites across Stoke-onTrent and Newcastle. Through the initiative, approximately 400m of the River Trent on the University’s Leek Road site has been aligned.

Centre for Health Innovation

The Centre for Health Innovation is part of £23.7 million investment made available under the Government’s Getting Building Fund to the Stokeon-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SSLEP). This exciting project will incorporate sector-leading clinical simulation and immersion suites.

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THE CATALYST Despite the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19, construction of The Catalyst continues to take shape on the former Brindley building site.

The aim of the building is to bring together the delivery of apprenticeships and skills, to meet employer demand, in flexible, high-quality, digitally enabled space. The Catalyst building will provide open, social, and flexible learning spaces, emulating real world working environments and opportunities for digital engagement.

Since the ground-breaking took place in March 2020, work has continued to progress on campus with The Catalyst

PROJECT: The Catalyst BUILDING: New Build LOCATION: Leek Road on the former site of Brindley Building

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now rising above the hoardings on Leek Road. The focus as we move towards Christmas is on the upper floors of the building where concrete is starting to be poured for the roof level of The Catalyst.

Local suppliers and sustainability are at the heart of the contract with Newcastle-under-Lyme based Thorp Precast, providing precast cladding panels for the flagship building as Martin Jones, Deputy Vice Chancellor explains, “I am very excited to get to this stage in the life-course of The Catalyst Building. As a leading civic university, we are deeply committed to working in partnership with local suppliers to create effective supply-chains across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. We have kept the brick-miles to a minimum and we are committed to acting locally and being sustainable.�

Leek Road Site Transformation

“Thorp Precast has an international reputation for design and delivery. It is important that we are drawing on this local talent from Newcastle-under-Lyme in a project of this strategic importance. The Vice Chancellor and I have toured the Chesterton factory and were very impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment to making this a flagship project for Stoke-on-Trent and beyond.”

The precast brick cladding panels, which are currently in production, will provide a sustainable building solution whilst also paying homage to the region’s rich ceramic history. Its colour story will adopt the concept of Staffordshire blue bricks intwined with red bricks to create a contemporary building embracing its local heritage.

The brick selection ensures both halves of a cut brick can be used as a facing material thus reducing material waste by approximately 50%. With just a seven-mile journey to the University, the brick faced panels will also be fabricated off-site improving efficiency, quality control and reducing material waste further.

Harvey Thorp, Managing Director, Thorp Precast commented, “With most of our projects located in London and other major UK Cities it is refreshing to be working on such an important landmark building in our local Staffordshire area. Thorp are all about modern methods of construction, driving new innovations in design and manufacturing, utilising the very latest precast technology, all of which have played a part in manufacturing precast units for this outstanding educational facility.

All of our employees share a huge passion for delivering high quality precast brickwork facades, but there has definitely been added motivation and extra pride taken in producing units for Staffordshire University, with the site being in such close proximity to the factory.”

Unjulee Karadia, Associate Director at Mace, added, ”Having already seen some of the quality of the brick slips for the project, at their factory, we’re all very excited for them to make the seven mile journey to the Staffordshire University site and feature as part of The Catalyst Project.”

Hugo Marrack, Partner at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, said, “Though a large building, the brick and ceramic facades have been given great care by the team in their detail, craft and workmanship. It is fitting that the building embodies the University’s pursuit of excellence, and likewise embraces future technologies whilst building on past experience and knowledge. We hope that this will help to create the best setting for the students, staff and visitors of Staffordshire University.”

The project team for The Catalyst consists of VINCI as the Main Project Contractors, Mace as project and cost managers, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios as lead designer and architect, Max Fordham as mechanical and electrical engineers, and Momentum as structural and civil engineers.

For more information on The Catalyst building and to see the latest construction project updates please visit: www.staffs.ac.uk/go/catalyst

Connect with The Catalyst: Keep up to date with the latest developments happening at The Catalyst and see our monthly time-lapse and fly-through video series via IRIS and MyStaffsUni.

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Ashley 2

NEW CLINICAL SUITE AND IMMERSIVE ROOMS PROJECT: New Clinical Suite and Immersive Rooms BUILDING: Ashley 2 LOCATION: Ground Floor

Construction works on brand-new clinical suite and immersive rooms in the Ashley 2 building on the University’s Leek Road Site in Stokeon-Trent have now been completed.

The project has created three additional rooms for the School of Health and Social Care. This expansion follows on from the initial install of clinical simulation suites in 2019 which received LEP funding to purchase new equipment. This addition to the simulation suite is part of the University’s ongoing commitment to providing quality learning experiences for students and partners.

The new areas in the Ashley 2 building have contributed to our ongoing blended learning approach and have enabled students that are studying with the School of Health and Social Care to come onto campus in small groups.

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All areas, including three clinical rooms, the immersive room, and a debriefing space, have been fitted with new CAE LearningSpace simulation technology. The new technology will enable the video capture of sessions hosted within the clinical simulation areas. In addition to providing opportunities for students to watch themselves back and receive visual feedback and assessment, students across the world will also be able to tune in and watch live from their own homes.

Emily Browne, Senior Lecturer – Patient Safety and Simulation (TEF) said, “We’re always looking at new ways we can enrich the student experiences within the School of Health & Social Care through new technologies that promote interdisciplinary experiences across the University.”

“The new simulation spaces will have video projection technology installed which means we can bring simulation sessions to life with audio-visual elements creating real-world simulation for students. This will lead to an increased number of opportunities for students on other courses to use the same facilities as part of their courses including our School of Law, Policing and Forensics. There are many cross overs between jobs and roles as students transition into the world of work, so it’s great that we can introduce students to these collaborative ways of working during their time studying with us.”

The works also included transforming the interiors of the building including the installation of new lighting and controls, a new ventilation system, new flooring, and a new MF suspended ceiling system.

Science Centre

MAKING A BIG ENTRANCE: THE SCIENCE CENTRE GETS A NEW LOOK

BEFORE

PROJECT: New Breast-Feeding Room BUILDING: Science Centre, Leek Road

At the beginning of June 2020 we replaced the revolving doors of the Science Centre entrance for a much more accessible and modern entrance lobby complete with Automatic doors.

AFTER

CREATING A FAMILY FRIENDLY CAMPUS PROJECT: New Breast-Feeding Room BUILDING: Science Centre, Leek Road

The University continues to work to create family friendly campus which is why we’re pleased to unveil a brand new breast feeding room located in our Science Centre on Leek Road Site.

The new room comes complete with the following features: • • • • • •

Sink for washing of breast pump / equipment and handwashing Work top Small Fridge for breast milk storage Coat pegs Tub chair Secure door system that allows restricted access and identifies when the room is in • Drinking water close by from Costa Coffee in the Science Centre

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NEW NURSERY AND FOREST SCHOOL Staffordshire University is investing in a new purpose-built day-care nursery and forest school with additional capacity for a classroom and observational suite with leading digital technology. The forest school classroom will feature its own entrance, allowing it to act as an independent facility.

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The project, which is due to commence in the new year, will provide a sustainable place of learning with a connection to the immediate landscape and nature reserve.

Age-specific indoor learning areas will look onto a garden area and the woodlands, linked by a covered colonnade which simplifies circulation and enhances the connection between classrooms and landscape. The facility will also feature low windows, recessed seating, and external benches to animate the building at child height levels, creating spaces to explore and connect with the outside.

Leek Road Site

PROJECT: Net zero carbon woodland nursery and forest school LOCATION: Leek Road Site

The design concept for the building features a natural palette of materials that are synonymous with the mature trees currently on the site. The timber structure and external cladding create a robust, protective enclosure, whilst distinctive roof-lights capture a variety of daylighting conditions and naturally ventilate classrooms. Exposed timber and natural finishes to the interior further help to set a calm atmosphere within the learning spaces.

greenhouse gas emissions. The in-use energy demand is expected to be reduced by an extremely efficient fabric and it is intended that remaining demands are offset using renewables (photovoltaics). Together, with the use of low embodied carbon materials, particularly the timber superstructure, the building actively educates and promotes the measures required to ensure resilience to the impact of climate change.

The building has also been designed using passive and highly efficient technologies for heating, cooling and ventilation that significantly increases energy efficiency and reduces

Keep an eye out for future updates as this exciting development at the University gets under way.

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Leek Road Site

RIVER TRENT RESTORATION PROJECT: ERDF SUNRISE Project LOCATION: River Trent, Leek Road Site

Work has been completed on an ambitious project to bring nature back to a stretch of river running through Staffordshire University’s campus in Stoke-on-Trent.

A 450-metre stretch of the River Trent through Staffordshire University has been re-naturalised – providing another link in the chain for a joined up wildlife corridor though the heart of Stoke-on-Trent.

A straight section of the river at the university’s Leek Road campus has been transformed so it naturally meanders through the site, offering a diverse and dynamic habitat for river-dwelling wildlife.

County conservation charity Staffordshire Wildlife Trust led on the construction of the new channel, which includes two river islands, shallow pools and areas of marginal wetland.

The project is part of SUNRISE, a major urban conservation initiative primarily funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), which is focusing on restoring and improving natural habitats at 16 sites around Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle.

Sally McGill, Chief Financial Officer and Executive lead for sustainability at Staffordshire University, said: “Not only is our Civic University working hard to shape a sustainable learning environment for our students, staff and local communities, but we are also committed to supporting environmental sustainability across our region. Staffordshire University has numerous green spaces that actively contribute to biodiversity, including our nature reserve, which is bordered by the River Trent.

“We are therefore delighted to see the River Trent ERDF SUNRISE project come to fruition. Initiatives such as this, which are designed to increase habitat diversity, are vital in securing and improving the conservation of our city’s biodiversity for

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future generations. We look forward to seeing our local river transformed through this exciting project.”

SUNRISE Project Manager Richard Guy, who is a graduate of the university too, said: “The new river channel we have created at Staffordshire University will attract a wide variety of wildlife. The shallower wetland areas will offer breeding and feeding places for dragonflies, damselflies, amphibians and reptiles, while the river channel itself is now a much-improved habitat for many species of fish and birds.

“This new section is just over half a mile upstream of the recently completed 500-metre river channel on the site of Stoke City FC’s former Victoria Ground. The aim of the SUNRISE project is to improve the River Trent as a wildlife corridor, and by re-naturalising some of the most heavily engineered sections we hope to restore thriving wildlife and make it into a place to be actively enjoyed by local people.”

The SUNRISE project is funding a series of environmental improvements totalling £3.6 million across Stoke-on-Trent City and Newcastle-under-Lyme. Led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is delivering the majority of the habitat improvements work, with the support of other partners including the Environment Agency, Newcastle-underLyme Borough Council, Groundwork West Midlands and the Wild Trout Trust.

College Road Site

COLLEGE ROAD SITE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT: The Innovation Enterprise Zone BUILDING: Mellor building, College Road LOCATION: Ground floor/First floor

Announced in Autumn 2019, Staffordshire University was one of 20 University Enterprise Zones (UEZs), launched with a £20 million investment

by Research England.

The Innovation Enterprise Zone is the umbrella for a number of new and existing projects aimed primarily at helping SMEs. It will enable Staffordshire University to contribute to the region’s recovery from COVID-19 through dedicated incubation, launch pad and innovation lab facilities and support for also start-ups and small companies in strategic regional priority sectors.

The £1.6m project to create Staffordshire Advanced Materials Incubation and Accelerator Centre (SAMIAC) has involved the conversion of offices on the first floor of Mellor into incubation units and office space for SMEs and business start-ups. Space on the ground floor, adjacent to the Smart Zone, has also been used to create a fully equipped lab that will offer dedicated innovation, prototype and research support to the ceramics industry and other manufacturing areas, including energy generation, aerospace and automotive sectors.

Work is also nearing completion on Staffordshire Advanced Manufacturing, Prototyping and Innovation Demonstrator (SAMPID), a dedicated advanced manufacturing and prototyping demonstrator facility which will be available to support projects with 50 eligible businesses. SAMPID support for SMEs will lead to new and better performing products and increased utilisation of advanced and modern manufacturing methods, technologies and processes.

For more information visit www.staffs.ac.uk/business-services

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GAMES DESIGN EXPANSION IN CADMAN Towards the end of June 2020, work began to expand our existing Games Design facilities in Cadman.

The expansion comes as Games@Staffs has outgrown its current resources both in terms of space and academic staff. Since 2016 Games@Staffs has gone through a rapid expansion, where the number of students in the department has almost doubled from 882 students to over 1500 students.

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PROJECT: Games Design Expansion BUILDING: Cadman, College Road LOCATION: First floor

Cadman

“Games@Staffs has gone through a rapid expansion, where the number of students in the department has almost doubled from 882 students to over 1500 students�

This project has created additional space on the first floor of Cadman to facilitate the expansion. With the games expansion taking over some of our existing library study space, we have created a new study area on the ground floor of Cadman by enclosing the under croft area so that the students can continue to use this invaluable study space.

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ESPORTS EXPANSION PROJECT PROJECT: Esports expansion project BUILDING: Beacon building, College Road LOCATION: Second Floor (TC203 and TC204)

Over the summer work took place on the second floor of the Beacon building on alterations within rooms

T203 and T204 to create a larger space for Esports students.

Our first esports room was set up a in Beacon some years ago but since then the numbers on our courses have grown substantially with various modules evolving as the Esports sector continues to grow. This meant that ultimately the course had outgrown its existing facilities and was struggling to find a home for a PC Lab of high-tech equipment to support students.

MAINTENANCE WORK O PROJECT: Maintenance work on College Road BUILDING: Film Theatre, Dwight, Henrion and Ember Lounge LOCATION: College Road

In July 2020, maintenance works took place in various buildings on College Road including the steel staircase at the Film Theatre being repainted alongside external painting and decorating at the Students’ Union Ember Lounge venue. Internal painting also took place at the 16

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entrance foyer and toilet blocks in the Henrion Building with the floor being repainted inside the Dwight Building.

Speaking on the maintenance project, Dave Spedding, Team Leader Buildings Maintenance for Estates and Commercial Services at Staffordshire University said: “We’re delighted to be able to start work with PM Training again on a renovation project to bring a fresh look on campus for our students.

We have been working in partnership with PM training by providing support to their teams whilst on-site. The quality of their work on the project has been great to see.”

The project has been supported by PM Training’s Homeworks social mobility initiative supporting young people in the local region with key skills to help them become ready for work and apprenticeship roles through further training and employment.

Beacon building

The previous space was home to 12 PCs, but the extension means that capacity is tripled with around 32-36 PCs available for students at any one time. The room has also been laid out in a format that enables competitions to take place on consoles such as the PlayStation and Xbox offering an extra depth to sit alongside online gaming platforms.

The expansion means that our Esports Hub will help us continue train the next generation of esports managers, shoutcasters and broadcasters with high spec PCs and gaming chairs to create a unique and modern learning environment for students.

The look and feel of the room continues remains unique and features modern gaming suites with high spec PCs and gaming chairs to create a unique environment.

ON COLLEGE ROAD

College Road

Leo McMulkin, Director of Homeworks at PM Training said: “Working with Staffordshire University provides invaluable insight for young apprentices to see the scale and size of a leading university campus. It clearly shows the breadth of experience that can be gained from our unique training programmes.”

Former PM Training apprentice, Harry Brammer, 22, who has been working at Staffordshire University as a Maintenance Assistant and originally came through the Homeworks initiative added: “I started at PM Training, painting on the Homeworks vans and they pointed me in the right direction which led me to progress into employment with Staffordshire University.

I am now studying towards my Level 3 in Maintenance Operations with them. The people and staff are amazing.”

Peter Hay, Estates Assistant Director at Staffordshire University said, “It’s very positive to see two Staffordshire organisations working together and supporting people with experiences and

opportunities that can prepare them for their future careers.

PM Training demonstrate a great attitude towards supporting others and their progression.”

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NEW CENTRE FOR HEALTH INNOVATION

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Ambitious plans to transform the health workforce using advanced digital technology at Staffordshire University has won the backing of government.

The project will see the development of a new Centre for Health Innovation incorporating sector-leading clinical simulation and immersion suites enabling healthcare professionals and students to explore and develop new patient safety techniques. The facility will also enable the teaching of advanced digital skills to support the future needs of our health sector.

The proposed £5.8 million Centre for Health Innovation at the University’s Stafford Centre of Excellence for Healthcare Education has been allocated £2.89 million under the government’s Getting Building Fund, which is aimed at helping the country’s economy bounce back from the Covid-19 crisis.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Digital), Andrew Proctor said: “By providing existing and future healthcare professionals with the cutting-edge digital skills and advanced techniques in high-demand within the healthcare sector, we will help ensure the long-term sustainability of the NHS, playing a key role in the transformation and modernisation of the workforce.

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Centre of Excellence for Healthcare Education, Stafford

Government backing for new £5.8m Centre for Health Innovation in Stafford PROJECT: New Centre for Health Innovation BUILDING: New Build LOCATION: Centre of Excellence for Healthcare Education, Stafford

“This exciting work builds upon our reputation for digital innovation in areas such as the NHS which are of vital importance to both our local area and nationally. Our approach will fuel the local economy by encouraging and supporting health technology start-ups; creating jobs and promoting economic growth.”

The Centre for Health Innovation is part of £23.7 million government investment made available to 11 ‘shovel ready’ projects across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire which will be underway within months.

COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to develop cuttingedge facilities and provide access to our market-leading experts to facilitate further innovation within healthcare education, helping to generate new business and enterprise across Staffordshire and beyond.”

Work started on site in October 2020 with the building set to be completed in Autumn 2021.

LEP Chair Alun Rogers said: “Our Getting Building Fund projects are part of the implementation of our Local Industrial Strategy, encouraging our local economy’s recovery and ultimate growth. Not only do we pave the way for new projects and future innovation, these schemes will improve infrastructure and support existing jobs.”

Staffordshire University has also been allocated £500,000 for a ‘New Enterprise Collaboratory’, which will give start-up businesses access to specialist equipment and technology.

Professor Liz Barnes CBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Staffordshire University, added: “Our Civic University is working in close partnership with local communities, authorities and key stakeholders, to drive our region’s economic recovery and growth in the wake of the

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