Canterbury Christ Church University has been shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards, for the second year running. This year it is the turn of the University’s Facilities and Estates team, who have been shortlisted for the Outstanding Estates Team award.

The shortlisted award nomination recognises the team’s partnership work with Christ Church students to deliver an enhanced experience for all students who study at the University.

Between 2009 and 2012, the University has invested nearly £54 million in new buildings, significantly improving student study and leisure facilities.

Lee Soden, Director of Facilities Management, said: “Throughout all of our developments we have worked in partnership with our students. We have used student focus groups and encouraged them to be involved in all decisions, design, furniture, colour schemes and even awarding the services contract for the new St George’s centre.

“Last year was the University’s Jubilee and what a perfect year for these exciting movements to have taken place. It really brought everybody in the University together creating an even stronger community feel.”

Augustine House was the first to be created and is a state-of-the-art library and student service centre. The building offers students flexible learning space and inspiring learning environments in which they can read, study or relax with mobile technology to support their student needs.

Secondly, the team developed a new Students’ Union building in St George’s Place, Canterbury. The building contains a coffee shop, chill out study areas, welfare facilities, and student accommodation with 200 superior ensuite rooms, ten three-bedroom family student housing and quiet landscaped courtyards.

This then allowed space for the former Students’ Union building, situated on the North Holmes Road Campus, to be transformed into a multi-purpose music and performing arts facility. At the same time St Gregory’s Church was re-developed as a new performance venue for the city of Canterbury.

Throughout these developments the current buildings have not been forgotten. The teaching rooms at the Canterbury and Broadstairs campuses have been refurbished to become sustainable areas that give the students and academics a comfortable and effective environment for teaching and learning.

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