An agreement between the University of Groningen and property developers will bring a new education and research facility to the city’s central square, OOG TV reports.
The proposed site is located in a vacant space at the corner of Grote Markt and Oude Ebbingestraat on two floors of the Groot Handelshuis, formerly a V&D building. RUG plans to operate four so-called ‘interdisciplinary schools’ (in the field of health, energy, sustainable development, and artificial intelligence), network organization University of the North, the Young Academy, the Teaching Academy, the European university partnership Enlight, and the Impact organization at the site.
The new space will provide an avenue for innovative education and research, according to the broadcaster.
In addition to housing schools, research facilities and outreach organizations, the university plans to organize meetings, public events and civic gatherings at the new venue. Due to the prime location, such events will not only be far more accessible to students and researchers, but also to the university’s many visitors.
RUG will engage a designer, architectural firm Studio Groen+Schild, to make improvements to the site. It is not clear when the renovations are going to begin or when the university is planning to move into the new space.
