Bristol University is planning to invest at least £250 million over the next five years to secure a place in the global top 50 universities. It came 60th in the world and sixth in the UK out of 500 research-led institutions in a recent survey by Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
New buildings – including a flagship library and a life sciences complex – extra staff in key research areas and enhanced student facilities are among the candidates for investment. Internal discussions to decide specific priorities are under way.
The spending will mean the rapid acceleration of Bristol’s improvement programme, which in recent times has included major building developments for chemistry, neuroscience and engineering.
Professor Eric Thomas, Vice-Chancellor, attributed the university’s bright prospects to:
- a decade of sound financial management, which has earned Bristol a double ‘A’ rating from Standard & Poor’s, one of the world’s foremost credit-rating agencies;
- Government policy, which should mean at least £20 million a year extra above inflation for research and teaching at Bristol by 2008/09, plus an extra £50 million over the next four years for infrastructure improvements;
- good fortune – in particular, the lucrative sale of surplus land.
Professor Thomas, who chaired the government’s task force on voluntary giving to universities, is also confident of reaping tens of millions of pounds from a new fundraising drive.
He said: “We won’t be going on a spending spree and risking our hard-won financial stability. But we are looking for a step change based on strategic, sustainable investments.
“These are exciting times. Our centenary is in 2009. By then we aim to have strengthened our research, teaching and facilities to an extent that merits a place in the global top ten per cent.”