Plans for the expansion of Staffordshire University’s Healthcare Centre for Excellence at their Blackheath Lane campus received planning approval this week.
The provision of new facilities allows the School of Health and Social Care to offer sector-leading facilities that will attract new students who will benefit from the latest cutting-edge simulation and virtual and augmented reality technology. The Centre provides specialist teaching facilities for delivering healthcare learning to undergraduates, postgraduates and professionals in subjects such as midwifery, nursing, and paramedic science.
The current expansion project connects two existing spaces and will provide a wide range of new training and simulation facilities, as well a contemporary new social atrium space to support student activities to create a strong sense of community in this rural location.
Pictured here, the new atrium will create a wrap-around structure to change the façade of the School and create a visually attractive frontage. This will provide an appealing and useful space for independent learning, general socialising, and hosting events such as musical performances, social gatherings, ‘Profs in the Atrium’ and informal teaching through guest lectures. In addition, a much-needed large sub-dividable space will be provided for teaching and significant events such as exams, conferences and Open Days. A series of life-like simulation settings such as an outpatients clinic room, domestic bathroom setting and outdoor spaces are provided so that students from across the health programmes can learn and practice in a realistic environment. All areas will be equipped with audio-visual observation systems to allow for assessment and peer-to-peer debriefing, providing the richest of learning material.
