PBES supported projects

Following the success of an initial round of funding in 2019, PBES has been granted a further tranche of up to £5m towards projects which improve education spaces.

The projects listed below will support and facilitate the provision of world class education, and help to deliver the vision of excellence for education spaces to which we aspire. All projects were nominated by Schools and subject to rigorous value for money and prioritisation review. They were required to demonstrate how they would move beyond maintenance and deliver tangible enhancements to the space.

East Forvie, School of Clinical Medicine

The building is being remodelled internally to support more flexible teaching whilst creating a more welcoming space to support a key new programme of study being developed by the Clinical School. The proposal is to build an extension to create additional space to improve teaching facilities, offer small group teaching for those requiring reasonable adjustments, as well as  providing a quiet study space. The changes to reception and other facilities within the building will create improved education space for a new MPhil (non clinical) programme of study increasing the utilisation of the building.

Archaeology Building lecture rooms, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Much-needed electrical work, and updated AV and IT, to transform these teaching spaces used by the Department of Archaeology, creating a much more attractive as a venue, and reflect positively on students experience studying at a world-class university. A light touch refurbishment, including painting and carpeting, electrical work, IT & AV upgrade, and stripping the back wall to install display cabinets.


Hopkins Building connecting teaching spaces, School of Biological Sciences


This project aims to connect two teaching laboratories, and two teaching spaces to create an open and flexible teaching space and a more modern, lighter and airier environment for Biochemistry staff and students. The project aims to improve timetable flexibility, the lack of which was a major issue for students and make much better use of the space to accommodate different size cohorts of students. 


Pathology Building lecture theatre, School of Biological Sciences 


This innovative project will take an old-fashioned raked lecture theatre, with rigid, narrow ‘pew’ style seating and other features limiting accessibility and use, and replace it with a modern, practical lecture theatre setting which can be more flexibly used. The work will improve accessiblity as well as enhancing the overall teaching and learning experience of using the space. 


Other initiatives

A number of other projects were given PBES endorsement to proceed but alternative, better value approaches have been identified to deliver these projects with lower levels of funding, and in some cases none. These include: 

  • Music Faculty – soundproofing lecture rooms 1-5
  • Engineering lecture theatres in Baker and Inglis Buildings – extra power sockets for students
  • Austin Robinson Building – refurbishing Keynes, Marshall and Meade rooms in Economics
  • 17 Mill Lane – improving condition of seminar rooms

For more information about PBES investments in education spaces please contact Edna Murphy em375@cam.ac.uk