Campus Reimagined Live! 2026 Day 1 round‑up | "We invite you to explore new possibilities"

Students and staff flocked to the Refectory today to ‘explore the possible’ at day one of Campus Reimagined Live! 2026.

Designed as a chance to discover how their ideas have shaped plans so far, explore what the future of our campus could look like and share feedback on these possibilities, attendees chose from a range of exciting talks, panel discussions and activities around the themes of Space, Future, Joy and Community.

Setting the scene for the two-day event, Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor & President, outlined the global and national context, and cited the central role of our physical estate in the future success of the University.

“We invite you to explore new possibilities, “Shearer said.

“There is no doubt that this is a pivotal moment for our university.

“As current staff and students, I would like us all to consider ourselves ‘campus custodians’. We can feed into the planning process to create an improved campus for the next generations, and to ensure that our campus retains the elements that make it special.”

Questions after the talk covered topics including improving connections to the city, citing the forthcoming campus-based National Poetry Centre as an example of reaching out through culture.

Your ideas, your campus

Campus Reimagined is our plan for the development and management of a welcoming, inclusive and sustainable campus.

At the interactive exhibition, running over both days, people are being asked to vote on which of the four themes – Space, Future, Joy or Community – matters to them the most as the campus is reimagined for the future.

Student ambassadors are on hand to guide staff and students through the interactive exhibition which shares fascinating data on how our campus currently works

They are inviting attendees to share reflections and ideas. The Refectory is already buzzing with feedback and discussion captured on post-it notes and illustrated posters.

Our campus – a little bit smaller but a lot better? 

Later in the morning, the first of the panel sessions kicked off with a discussion about Space on campus: those that shape our day-to-day experience, from lecture theatres and labs to offices and meeting rooms, as well as green spaces.

Rachel Brealey, Chief Operating Officer, spoke in her presentation about the findings of a recent space utilisation survey which showed that, at its busiest, only 45% of campus is being used.

“What if our campus was smaller but a lot better?” she asked.

“A smaller campus will enable us to deliver better quality space. It would also support our Net Zero ambitions. “

The panel comprised Professor Charlotte Haigh, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enhancement and Student Experience; Fiona Sandell, Director of Evolve Program and Project Management, and Professor Paul Taylor, Head of the Pedagogy & Scholarship of Chemistry from the School of Chemistry.

Data shows that spaces on campus designed for collaboration are very well used. This is one of the keys to rethinking a workspace that promotes wellbeing and works for timetabling.

Fiona commented that Campus Reimagined is ‘an amazing opportunity” to modernise facilities, improve accessibility, streamline timetabling and tackle ‘owned space’.

What if our campus was designed to evolve with us?  

In the afternoon, experts in climate resilience, digital development and strategic planning explored what a future-ready campus could look like in the second panel session of the day. 

Elise Baudon from Prior + Partners, the organisation that is shaping the masterplan framework for the campus, emphasised the importance of flexibility and adaptability, and that this was intended when the campus expanded with the cutting-edge buildings created by Chamberlin, Powell & Bon in the 1950s.  

She said: 

“It is in the DNA in the campus for it to evolve.” 

The panel comprised: Aashish Khadia, Director of Strategic Planning and Performance; Masud Khokhar, Chief Digital & Information Officer; Professor Piers Forster CBE FRMetS, Director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures and Dr Margaret Korosec, Director of Digital Education and Learning Innovation. 

A wide-ranging conversation included insights into ‘learning reimagined’ and how can we design spaces once that suit a range of different audiences, rather than adding to the existing estate.

Join us tomorrow! 

At Day Two of Campus Reimagined Live! 2026, there are two exciting panel discussions:

• Joy: What if our campus was designed to spark joy? Join the discussion led by Andy Mytom, Partner at David Morley Architects and find out more about the ‘architecture of joy’; the power of art and culture; and the potential of our environment to support the wellbeing of colleagues and students.

Find out more and book your place.

• Community: What if our campus enabled better connection with the city?  Professor Nick Plant, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Research & Innovation, leads discussion on how we could develop a campus that breaks down barriers and opens doors to opportunities in research, business and community engagement.

Find out more and book your place.