The University of Glasgow has today (24 January) welcomed the first researchers into its pioneering flagship research facility, the ARC (Advanced Research Centre). 

The £116 million, 16,000 metre-square building will house a collaborative community of academics from across a range of disciplines and will be fully operational from Spring this year. 

The ARC is designed to bring together researchers in an environment that encourages collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas. By bringing people together in new ways, the building will encourage the exploration of cross-disciplinary concepts, as well as fostering innovation with external and industry partners. 

Over the next few months over 500 researchers, technicians and professional staff will move into the ARC. The first group moving in will work on developing world changing technologies in the field of Digital Chemistry, and is led by Professor Lee Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry. 

The ARC provides a purpose-built space for the development of Digital Chemistry at the University, housing cutting-edge equipment and allowing the 60 strong group to be co-located together for the first time.  

Professor Lee Cronin said: “This is a huge milestone for us as a research group. It is fantastic that we will be in one space for the first time, but the opportunity of the ARC is more than that. We will be sharing space with colleagues from different research areas, meeting people with new ideas and interests. This will lead to new conversations that would never have happened before, and what comes from those conversations is the exciting bit.” 

Professor Andrew Tobin, Director of the ARC, said: “Through the ARC we are attempting something disruptive and hugely exciting - an evolution in how we operate as a research-intensive University.  

“Once the building is fully operational we will have a diverse range of disciplines sharing one space, the potential cannot be over-estimated. Beyond that we have also created new spaces to support colleagues across the campus to realise their research, innovation and engagement ambitions, spaces which can support creativity, conferences, networking and collaboration.” 

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “Seeing the building rapidly move towards being fully operational is incredibly exciting. The ARC is central to our research strategy and our continued commitment to creating world-changing research which contributes to global challenges. I look forward to seeing the building fully open for more colleagues and the public later this year.” 

More information: 

Research being housed in the ARC includes: 

  • Creative economies and cultural transformation  
  • Digital chemistry  
  • Global sustainable development 
  • Quantum and nanotechnology  
  • Technology touching life  
  • ARC XR 
  • Social AI CDT 

You can learn more about the ARC on the ARC webpages https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/arc/  

The ground floor of the ARC will be open to the general public to showcase the excitement and relevance of the University’s research. It will offer a mix of multi-purpose spaces for events and conferences, as well as team building and networking activity and public engagement. 

First published: 24 January 2022

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