Winner of a prestigious 2019 Guardian University Award which recognises the most sustainable and inspiring higher education buildings in the UK, and named Campus of the Future at last week’s Green Gown Awards focusing on innovative and inspiring sustainability work carried out by universities and colleges across the UK and Ireland, UWS Lanarkshire was developed by HFD Property Group (HFD) and designed by Mosaic Architecture + Design.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, the First Minister said: “I have been so incredibly impressed by what I have seen here today. This campus truly is cutting edge, world leading, and impressive in every single way.

“I am also really struck, not just about what I have seen inside this building, but by the design of the building as well. It is easy to see why it has been recognised with a Guardian University Award.”

Neil Haining, director of Mosaic, said: “The new UWS Lanarkshire Campus is ground-breaking, filled with inspiring and flexible teaching spaces and packed with new technology.

“Three separate campus buildings are joined by ‘The Street’ – a well-designed bright and airy social space which provides the ideal environment for students staff and the wider public to study, relax or socialise.”

Stephen Lewis, managing director at HFD Property Group, the University’s development partner for this project, said: “We’re pleased to have delivered a modern, fit-for-purpose campus for UWS. Recognising that flexibility is a priority for both staff and students, we mirrored this adaptable approach throughout the project, collaborating closely with UWS to deliver on their aspirations.”

The campus embodies the UWS vision to provide 21st century, student-centred, personalised, distinctive learning and teaching experiences. With its technology-rich, innovative learning and social spaces UWS Lanarkshire is at the forefront of modern learning environments, significantly enriching the educational journey of students.

Innovative learning suites provide high-tech, flexible and collaborative spaces to deliver teaching in a powerfully effective and modern way. The campus represents a shift in the way learning and teaching is defined in the higher education sector in Scotland and across the UK.

Thanks to the new campus and its flexible and collaborative spaces specifically designed to equip students with the skills most valuable to industry, students will graduate having experienced ground-breaking learning, putting them at a significant advantage as they embark on their chosen careers.

The UWS Lanarkshire campus promotes enhanced collaboration 24/7 and supports continuous innovation between students, staff and academics and outside organisations thanks to its flexible learning environments. The design reflects the UWS belief in the transformative power of co-created learning. Every space offers an area to learn and collaborate, with a range of facilities to choose from to support students in their studies.

The campus is a sustainable space for sustainable minds and is one of the UK’s greenest educational environments. It is a carbon neutral development, powered by 100% renewable energy from an associated windfarm and benefits from environmentally conscious features including rainwater harvesting, photovoltaic panels, a building management system and electric car charging points.

Designed with research-driven innovative learning and teaching in mind, its collocation with enterprise enables seamless collaboration between academia and business and provides a talent-rich pipeline of work-ready, industry-focused and highly talented students right on their doorstep.