Plans for new computer science building unveiled

The University of St Andrews has unveiled plans for a new state-of- the-art Computer Science building.

Pending approval, the proposed two- storey building, to be located on the North Haugh, will provide classrooms and experimental laboratories to meet the teaching and research aims of the University.

The proposals were presented to a public meeting last week (Wednesday 30 October 2002) which was attended by local residents, staff, representatives from Fife Council Planning department, St Andrews Preservation Trust and the Community Council.

The proposals would allow the School of Computer Science, which is currently spread over six locations within three different buildings, to be accommodated within the new building and the adjacent John Honey Building and would allow the expansion of the School to meet the continually growing interest in Computer Science and Internet Computing.

Head of the School of Computer Science Professor Ron Morrison said, “The new building will provide an ideal environment for a modern computer science department. Its state-of-the-art classrooms and experimental laboratories will keep St Andrews at the forefront of teaching and research in computer science.

“The flexible design accommodates our distinctively innovative laboratory-based teaching methods and will help maintain our 2001 Teaching Quality Rating of Commendable – the highest possible. The flexibility of the building’s design will allow for new multi-media, digital communication and artificial intelligence laboratories to be used for both teaching and our Research Assessment Exercise 5- rated research. The proximity of the new building with the existing John Honey building provides a unique solution to the long term accommodation problems of computer science.”

Subject to approval, the University hopes to start works on the new building in May 2003 with a likely completion date of early 2004.

ENDS

Issued by Beattie Media on behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information please contact: Claire Grainger on 01334 462530, 07730 415 015 or email cg24@st- andrews.ac.uk View University press releases on- line at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk Ref: compsci/standrews/chg/7nov2002