Campus Reimagined Live | Inspiring ideas helping shape the future of campus 

Inspiration, hope and big ideas for the future of the University of Leeds were at the forefront of a packed programme of events during Campus Reimagined Live.

Thousands of colleagues and students took the opportunity to think differently about our surroundings – and offer their own suggestions to improve these spaces – during the three-day festival, which was held in Leeds University Union Refectory from 10-12 February.

Watch a recap

Sessions brought together more than 25 thinkers from the worlds of architecture, psychology, design and education to offer their own unique perspectives on how our campus can better meet the needs of its users.

Panellists included ‘Sign for Art’ sculptor Professor Keith Wilson, University Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection Masud Khokhar, and Elise Baudon, Director of Masterplanning at Prior + Partners – the lead designers developing a new masterplan framework for the University.

The programme of events also featured an introduction to the wider Campus Reimagined project from Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Shearer West, who outlined the importance of creating a campus that “feels like a home away from home”.

Ann Allen, Director of Campus Innovation and Development at Leeds, said:

“This event has offered valuable insight into how our colleagues and students feel about campus currently, and what they’d like to see in the future.

“We’ve been fortunate to hear from some brilliant speakers, who’ve broadened our perspectives on the campus experience and provided us with new ways of thinking about the spaces around us.”

Key themes

In-between talks, visitors had the opportunity to ‘run the gauntlet’ through eight different stations in a transformed Refectory.

Each station represented a key theme of the project, providing a different activity for visitors to complete to get them thinking in different ways about campus.

Giant sheets of purple and green paper that hung from the first floor balcony were gradually filled with suggestions and feedback recorded by the Campus Reimagined team.

Next steps

There will be a campus-wide vote on six ‘quick-win’ activities identified during the three days, with details about how to take part communicated to everyone in our University community in due course.

Ann added:

“This event is just the beginning, with the vote on six ‘quick-win’ activities followed by the development of our new campus masterplan framework, which will use the ideas, experiences and thoughts recorded during this festival.”

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