£35m innovation campus

Aberystwyth University has announced plans for an investment of £35m in the development of a new UK Innovation and Research Campus at Gogerddan to be known as the Aberystwyth Innovation and Diffusion Campus – AIDC.

The development was made possible by a £14.5m investment from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) following the announcement in July of the Government’s Agricultural Technology Strategy  by David Willetts MP, UK Minister for Universities and Science.

Contributions from other stakeholders, including Aberystwyth University, are expected to bring the total investment in this project to over £35m.

Of the total amount invested, up to £2.5m is earmarked to develop the Pwllpeiran Upland Research Centre near Aberystwyth (subject to the final lease being agreed with Welsh Government), a unique facility which will concentrate on enhancing and improving upland agriculture through research based innovations, training and development.

.IBERS at Gogerddan is the home of the BBSRC and Welsh Government supported £6.8m National Plant Phenomics Centre, which features the most advanced research greenhouse in the UK.

Welcoming the announcement, Professor April McMahon, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University said: “This is wonderful news for Aberystwyth and for the University. We look forward to working in partnership with the BBSRC in delivering this superb project, building on our earlier and very positive experiences with the new IBERS buildings and the National Plant Phenomics Centre.

“The new Campus will enhance our joint working with business, including accommodating start-up companies, and allow us to offer new interdisciplinary training. All these benefits are closely linked to the aims of our Strategic Plan, and will further develop the appeal of this exceptional part of Wales.”

Work on the new Aberystwyth Innovation and Diffusion Campus is expected be completed by March 2015.