Exciting Development Begins

The University of Westminster welcomed colleagues, supporters and industry professionals on 27 March for an event to mark the start of construction of the University’s new hub for enterprise and industry at 29 Marylebone Road.  

The site, made up of two adjoining buildings, will be redeveloped and retrofitted, avoiding the carbon impact of a new build and reflecting the University’s strategic commitment to sustainability. 

Visitors gathered at Westminster’s Marylebone Campus for breakfast and networking before the event was opened by Vice Chancellor and President Professor Peter Bonfield, who welcomed guests and explained the significance of the new building. Professor Lynne Berry CBE, the Chair of Westminster’s Court of Governors, emphasised the new opportunities the building will bring to students, bringing greater collaboration with industry, providing a better connection between educators and employers, enhancing students’ skills and supporting new enterprise. 

Our CEO Penny Alexander introduced BakerStreetQ and the longstanding relationship it has with the University of Westminster, and shared with guests the excitement and hope we and our members have for how the project can deepen the University’s connection with the community. She said, “The prospect of having a facility in the area focused on forging and developing links between local businesses, students and the wider community is really exciting. We can see how this will foster mutually beneficial collaborations and experiences. Many of our member businesses are keen to provide opportunities and share their experience and skills with the students. Local businesses also stand to benefit greatly from access to local talent, training and courses, new thinking and digital facilities. We are very much looking forward to continuing to work with the University to support their vision for the space.” 

The nine-storey building is set to become the UK’s most inclusive centre for employability and enterprise, with accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability at its heart, bridging the gap between education and the business world. Located just across the road from the University’s Marylebone Campus, the building will bring employers, local residents and the University’s communities under one roof. Open to Westminster students, alumni and the wider community, the new centre will provide students with access to inspirational employer-led events and activities as well as training and networking opportunities for employers and local organisations. In addition to this, the building will feature creative spaces to support collaboration and engagement with local businesses as well as event and exhibition spaces to showcase student enterprise and achievements. It will also host an array of state-of-the-art training facilities, including a digital studio and maker space. 

The new centre will provide a unique opportunity for local businesses to work closely and collaborate with the University’s talented and diverse student population. University of Westminster is ranked 2nd in the country for social mobility with 58% of UK undergraduate students being the first in their family to go to University and 67% from black minority ethnic backgrounds. In addition to this, 21,000 students represent 167 nationalities from outside of the UK.  

Find out more about the new 29 Marylebone Road building at the University of Westminster and keep up to date with developments here.