The role of the university was once focused on the creation and dissemination of knowledge as well as the generation of ideas. While these two aspects enabled students to enter the professional world with the relevant expertise and ideas, graduates lacked the necessary vocational skills.

This is now no longer sufficient, with successive governments focusing on generating vocational skills to ensure job creation and to produce the skills the economy needs. Another key focus area for the economy is using the research capabilities of universities to support British industry to excel and improve competitiveness. Both of these are starting to affect the life and development of university campuses and the sector needs to consider alternative design approaches to meet this need.

“Some of the informality and energy of academic life is  infiltrating how we consider commercial workplaces”

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