Scottish universities are being invited to take advantage the funding for capital upgrades and projects. The money is aimed at 鈥榮pend-to-save鈥� projects including energy efficiency, strategic development of university campuses and strategic collaboration between institutions.
Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead made the announcement during a visit to the University of Strathclyde to see progress on Balfour Beatty鈥檚 progress on a new Learning & Teaching Building.
The new building, which is scheduled to open next year, will incorporate the university鈥檚 former Colville and Architecture Buildings at North Portland Street and Rottenrow. It will bring together new learning and teaching spaces, student support services and the University of Strathclyde Students鈥� Association (USSA) in a purpose-designed facility. Balfour Beatty was appointed in 2018 to deliver the new 拢60m building through the university鈥檚 major building construction framework.
The university was awarded a 拢10m loan from the Scottish Funding Council鈥檚 (SFC鈥檚) Financial Transactions programme to support the 拢60m development. Minister for further and higher education Richard Lochhead said: 鈥淭he University of Strathclyde鈥檚 Learning and Teaching building is just one example of the many projects made possible with funding from the Financial Transactions programme. I am impressed that the project is already having a positive impact on students at the university, with engineering students receiving mentoring on-site.
鈥淭he 拢60 million funding announced today for 2019-20 will facilitate further development of university campuses across Scotland and I look forward to seeing this take shape.鈥�
Hector MacAulay, Balfour Beatty鈥檚 regional managing director for Scotland and Ireland, said: 鈥淲e are delighted the Scottish Government has provided funding through the Scottish Funding Council鈥檚 Transactions programme, which will enable us to refurbish and extend the University鈥檚 Grade II listed Architecture building and neighbouring Colville building.鈥�
The 拢60m 2019-20 programme is an increase on the 拢40m in the previous round and the 拢20m 2017-18 round. It is estimated that the funded projects from the 2017-18 round, which are now nearing completion, will collectively save 拢2m and 8,945 tonnes of carbon per year.
SFC will administer the loan funding, and select successful proposals for funding based on their eligibility. 聽
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