Vision

The University’s buildings and estate are not only necessary for our academic work; they also contribute to Oxford’s reputation as a city of learning, heritage and culture. They form a vital part of the rich architecture of the city and provide a beautiful environment for visitors and Oxford residents, as well as University staff and students.

The University’s estate, comprising buildings for research, teaching, learning, and administration, has been growing at around 5% a year for the last 15 years. Today there are around 260 buildings across 13 sites in and around Oxford.

We aim to provide our staff and students with state-of-the-art facilities within an inspiring and historic setting, to improve opportunities for interdisciplinary working, and to minimise our environmental impact.

We invest in the estate to enable new or improved ways of working; this includes the decommissioning and transformation of inappropriate spaces. How we manage and develop the estate is underpinned by our environmental policies. To support this investment, we have on average of 80 building and refurbishment projects ongoing at any one time, with an annual expenditure in excess of £100m. This cost is met through a combination of University funds, Government grants and initiatives, and donations.

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