Design work has commenced on 11 new Institute of Technology buildings as part of the government's Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme for the higher education sector.

The buildings will provide over 8,000 new student places and 75,000sq metres of teaching and learning space. They will have a strong focus on STEM, including ICT, Engineering and Life Sciences.

Design teams have been appointed for each project and work is now underway on the initial design and planning process.

Education Minister Richard Bruton welcomed the progress: "We want to have the best education and training service in Europe by 2026. State of the art facilities in our higher education institutions is key to reaching our goal. These 11 projects across 11 Institutes of Technology will significantly boost the capacity of the sector to meet national and regional skills needs and to cater for the growing numbers of students entering the higher education system.

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"Today's announcement confirming both the scope of the projects and the teams of architects and engineers who will bring the projects through the planning process represents a significant programme milestone."

The planning and initial design for a bundle of six projects will be led by Coady Architects (incorporating FCBS & BDP Architects), who will be joined by JV Tierney and Mott McDonald Engineers.

A group of architects led by Taylor Architects (incorporating HJ Lyons & Mullarkey Pedersen Architects), and supported by RPS and BDP Engineers, will bring the remaining bundle of five projects through the planning process.

Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O'Connor, added: "I am delighted to see the final scope and ambition of these projects. Capital investment is essential to enhancing the capacity and quality of the higher education system, and to delivering on the vision for future Technological Universities. Eight of the eleven projects in the programme are in Institutes of Technology that are currently part of TU consortia.

"I would like to congratulate the design teams on their appointments and look forward to seeing the first planning applications for these projects being submitted to the relevant local authorities before the end of this year."

(CM)