Cranfield University has appointed Arcadis to lead the masterplanning and delivery of a new proposed university quarter in the heart of Milton Keynes.
MK:U is being planned by Cranfield University and Milton Keynes Council as a new model university, with its location at the heart of the Cambridge - Milton Keynes - Oxford Arc promising to be a game changer not only for the entire region, but a national asset providing skills for emerging technology industries.
Mel Manku, Science and Education Sector Leader at Arcadis, said: “MK:U is a unique opportunity to create a new digitally enabled and adaptable campus which will disrupt the higher education operating model. Not only will it offer flexibility to students but, through engagement with the local community, will have a critical impact on the economy helping to cement the Arc’s position as the UK’s preeminent knowledge-intensive cluster. Working with industry employers to develop programmes to reflect the requirements for the workforce of the future, capitalising and responding to the emerging digital skills and Smart City agenda all set MK:U apart.”
Arcadis will be providing full project management services for the scheme. The first phase of the planned development will create the heart of the campus with circa. 61,000 sqm of space comprising a forum with lecture theatre and exhibition space. This will be the central heart to the ‘staff work and study hub’ and teaching spaces. The scheme will also include 1,000 student residences and a 100-bed conference centre, alongside sports and campus facilities, public realm and new green spaces, as well as enhanced connectivity to the wider city.
Professor Lynette Ryals OBE, Chief Executive of MK:U and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield University, added: “MK:U is an integral part of Milton Keynes’ vision for a hugely ambitious and forward-thinking future. A new university will have a major impact on the city. Alongside its educational offering, designed and co-created with business, it will bring a new vibrant community to Milton Keynes.
“We believe MK:U will be an economic asset to the whole of the UK; a digital and tech showcase based in Milton Keynes creating the graduates that businesses say they desperately need and addressing the national and international skills shortages in fast-growing new technologies and industries. We look forward to working with Arcadis to make these ambitious and transformative proposals a reality.”
The proposed new university quarter is planned to open in 2023 and cater for up to 5,000 new students.
