Work has begun on refurbishing the Learning Centre at Kedleston Road.
The Learning Centre at Kedleston Road opened in September 1997 and has stood the test of time very well. But 11 years later it’s time to bring its layout and facilities in line with what our students need.
They've told us they want different types of study spaces; and to use printed and online resources, and mobile technologies. So we’ve included all of this in a refurbishment plan that will cover the next four years.
We’re currently working on the first phase, costing £250,000, which is scheduled to be finished on 15 September, ready for the new academic year. It involves creating a flexible learning space for student group work on the lower ground floor of the Learning Centre, with new furniture that you can easily rearrange for collaborative work and for when you’re using laptops and other mobile technology.
To make all this happen we’re :
- installing new motorised compact storage for the back issues for print journals. This means they’re still easy to get at and we’ve created a lot more floor space
- redecorating most of the lower ground floor area and branding it as a new flexible learning space
- replacing existing study desks with bright, flexible new furniture
- providing meeting pods as alternatives to the existing group study rooms
- installing new signs on other floors to designate quiet zones clearly.
These changes mean that there are now different zones or areas of the Learning Centre for different activities - group work and discussion on the lower ground floor and quiet study on the second floor. This will improve the study environment for everyone and is a direct result of us listening to students' comments about noise and the need for more space for group work. We hope you enjoy the new features.