4 July 2012
Lorraine Kelly to lay first brick for Medical School extension
Photocall/interview opportunities: 11am, Friday July 6th
Clinical Research Centre, Ninewells
Lorraine Kelly, the television presenter and former Rector of the University of Dundee, will lay the first brick of a major new extension to the University's Medical School on Friday July 6th.
Lorraine maintains close links with the University, for which she was Rector between 2004 and 2007.
"I'm delighted to lay the first brick of this important new development," said Lorraine. "I'm very proud of my links with Dundee University which consistently punches above its weight and has played such an important part in the renaissance of my brilliant adopted city!"
The extension forms phase two of an £11million programme to upgrade facilities at the Medical School, which is consistently rated as one of the top performing medical schools in the UK.
This phase of the project will see a new extension built on the north side of the Ninewells building and refurbishment of existing library and teaching space. The extension will front on to the public footpath between the main Ninewells entrance and the multi-storey car park.
"This is a major project which will provide us with first-class facilities to match the quality of our teaching, which is consistently rated very highly," said Professor John Connell, Vice-Principal of the University and Head of the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing.
"We are delighted that this development will allow us to maintain the very highest standards of education, working in close partnership with NHS Tayside and NHS Education for Scotland."
The University has already completed the first stage of a three-phase approach to revamping the Medical School. The first phase, which has been completed, included the development of a world class clinical simulation area, a facility that was opened in November 2011. This work was supported by a major grant from the Dow Trust.
Phase 2 includes a new-build development on the site at Ninewells which will provide state-of-the-art IT and electronic teaching facilities. There will also be redevelopment work to upgrade existing accommodation, allowing the relocation of the Centre for Medical Education right into the heart of the Medical School. The Centre delivers education programmes internationally.
Phase 3 of the project will see a complete upgrade of lecture theatres.
The Medical School at Dundee has an international reputation for the quality of its education and is rated among the top UK Medical Schools. It is also renowned for research excellence, particularly in the areas of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neuroscience and skin diseases.
The project is an £11.2million investment. Funds have already been committed by the University, the NHS in Tayside, NHS Tayside Endowment Funds, NES Education Scotland, the Wolfson Foundation, the Northwood Trust and key local donors such as the Dow, Leng and Mathew Trusts. Further fundraising is required and will be the subject of a major campaign over the next year.
The aim is to have all phases completed by 2014/15.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Work on phase 2 of the Medical School development began earlier this year. A £4.1million contract for the work has been awarded to ISG, the main contractor who are currently involved in the first phase of a major £45 million regeneration scheme at Mill O'Mains in Dundee for Home Scotland.
Over the course of the project, a 600 sq m steel frame extension will be built on the north side of the building to provide additional teaching accommodation at the renowned facility. The contractor will also refurbish and rationalise approximately 1,500 sq m of existing teaching, administration and library accommodation on levels 7 and 8 of the medical library, and integrated teaching areas and IT suites will also be refurbished.
The University employed Gardiner & Theobald as project managers to co-ordinate a design team lead by Ingenium Archial, who had undertaken the feasibility study for phase 2 works. The project has registered to be assessed with an environmental assessment scheme to prove its sustainability credentials.
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