Unlocking the potential of university estates

Earlier this year, we were delighted to host a roundtable event examining how university estates can evolve to meet the challenges and opportunities facing the higher education sector today.

Chaired by Stephen Cowperthwaite, Principal & Managing Director of UK Regions at Avison Young, the discussion brought together senior leaders from universities across the UK in London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria and Glasgow, alongside built environment and regeneration specialists, to explore how campuses can transform into engines of innovation, collaboration and economic growth.

Estates under pressure: the cost of standing still

Universities are facing unprecedented financial strain. With rising operating costs, tightening capital budgets and uncertainty around international student numbers, many leaders are caught between the need to protect their institutions’ futures and the demand to cut back. But the discussion made one thing clear: standing still is not an option.

A recurring theme was the tension between risk-aversion and progress. Ageing, inefficient buildings continue to drain resources, while student expectations around experience, quality and digital access are rapidly evolving. As many of the attendees noted, the current financial pressure may be severe, but the cost of not investing in change could be far greater.

Space without purpose: reimagining utilisation

Space utilisation also emerged as one of the most critical and under-addressed issues. Participants agreed that vast areas of university estates are poorly used but, without robust data, this is difficult to act on. Legacy IT systems, siloed operations, and cultural resistance to shared environments are compounding the challenge.

It’s not just about collecting data; it’s about knowing how to interpret it and make strategic decisions based upon it. Several attendees stressed the importance of aligning estates, academic planning and finance functions to ensure that estate decisions support the broader institutional mission.

Breaking the culture lock: the human factor in estate strategy

Change management surfaced as a fundamental challenge. Many institutions face deeply ingrained academic expectations - such as private offices or fixed teaching environments - that no longer reflect how space needs to be used.

But change won’t be achieved by mandating new models from the top down. The room was in agreement that behavioural change must be enabled gradually, supported by good design, real-life examples, and stakeholder buy-in.

This is where strategic partners can add real value, not just in delivering new buildings, but in helping institutions to model new ways of working, test assumptions, and demonstrate the benefits of more flexible, future-focused estates.

The civic role of campuses: from closed doors to open places

There was also a very strong call to rethink the civic role of university estates. Beyond education and research, campuses have the potential to serve as hubs for community engagement, public service delivery, business growth and innovation.

Universities are increasingly recognised as major drivers of economic growth and innovation, featuring in many a region’s growth plans. But to truly fulfil this role, they need the space, freedom and interfaces to collaborate with industry, local and central government and community partners. Creating the conditions for this kind of ecosystem means rethinking how estates are designed and shared.

Opening up libraries, lab spaces, cafes and sports facilities to the wider community can deliver real social and economic value, and in turn, improve utilisation, reduce security and energy costs, and enhance the university’s place identity.

But this shift requires a change in mindset. Rather than treating estate planning as a behind-the-scenes function, institutions must elevate it to a central, strategic discipline that directly supports civic and economic outcomes.

Our view: from insight to action

The roundtable confirmed what we see across the country: universities are ready to act, but need the right data, partnerships and frameworks to do so.

Our role is to help institutions translate their strategic ambitions into place-led estate strategies that unlock long-term value. This includes supporting clients to gather and interpret meaningful data, align estate planning with academic and city-region goals, and design campuses that are not only fit for purpose but also future-ready. We also understand the cultural and human dimensions of estate transformation – the behaviours, expectations and sensitivities that must be considered to create real change that works for all.

At Avison Young, we bring the experience and tools to help universities navigate governance, build the case for investment, and shape flexible, sustainable estates that support innovation, inclusion and growth. The time for incremental change has passed - what’s needed now is bold thinking and trusted delivery.