Work is underway to deliver the most significant and exciting student facilities upgrades in the history of The University of Notre Dame Australia. The refurbishment project will create a modern and vibrant Student Hub at the heart of our Fremantle campus.
The Student Hub project will see St Teresa’s Library, the Student Services Building, Craven Law Library, Bateman Courtyard and adjacent buildings transformed over the next 12 months into a contemporary and integrated new precinct, where students can come together to study, connect, collaborate, or simply relax between classes in greater comfort and safety.
Project highlights include:
- The full refurbishment of St Teresa’s Library to increase the amount of study space and offer improved seating configurations, access to power points, monitors, USB charging points and high speed 5G WI-FI network;
- Transforming Bateman Courtyard into a welcoming green space, with increased seating and shaded areas for year-round comfort;
- Rebuilding the Craven Law Library into a new Craven Law Centre, with a dedicated moot court facility, additional teaching and learning spaces and a dedicated HDR student study space;
- Adding secure swipe card access to a new 24-hour study hall, with kitchen facilities, parenting rooms and seminar rooms;
- Creating more collaborative spaces and seminar rooms, with access to audio-visual equipment, as well as separate silent study areas with a mix of seating styles to align with different needs; and
- Providing a dedicated help-desk where students can access advice and support.
Notre Dame Vice Chancellor Professor Francis Campbell said the Student Hub would form the heart of the Fremantle campus, creating a space where students can enjoy being a part of a welcoming and engaged academic community.
Professor Selma Alliex, Pro Vice Chancellor for the Student Experience said the investment in the Student Hub demonstrated not only the University’s commitment to its students but also to the future of Fremantle and its local businesses and services.
“While many universities are increasingly moving to online learning, Note Dame’s focus remains firmly on face-to-face learning and teaching, which is why providing a truly world-class study environment for our students is so important,” Professor Alliex added.
“We are creating a space where students will want to come and spend time with their peers, while also having the opportunity to enjoy all of the wonderful attractions and facilities that Fremantle has to offer.”
Notre Dame Student Association Vice President, Eric De Sousa, said students had been involved in the design and planning of the project from the very beginning to ensure what was being delivered will truly meet their needs.
“These new facilities are exactly what Notre Dame’s students have been asking for and I thank the University’s leadership for the genuinely collaborative approach that was taken to ensure our voices were heard,” Mr De Sousa said.
“And while we acknowledge that there will be some short-term inconvenience while the works are being carried out, the long-term benefits to students will be enormous.”
The project’s design has also been informed through widespread consultation with staff, Indigenous representatives, and the City of Fremantle, to ensure the existing character and heritage of the West End is maintained.
“The Student Hub project will deliver a truly beautiful, modern, and functional space, which also respects and preserves the existing character of our magnificent buildings for future generations to enjoy”, Professor Alliex stated.
The project will be delivered in three stages, with the second phase to begin over the summer break and the final phase to be completed by September 2024.
Care has been taken to ensure minimum disruption to students, who will continue to have access to alternative learning spaces as well as to the core library collection and other resources, while work is ongoing.
The Student Hub is the latest in a series of recent investments across Notre Dame’s campuses, including:
- The delivery of state-of-the-art simulation labs for our nursing students in Sydney and Fremantle;
- Library refurbishment, new Indigenous study space, and infrastructure improvements in Broome
- Improved teaching venues across Sydney and Fremantle;
- The refurbishment of Prindiville Hall in Fremantle; and
- Enhanced laboratory facilities for Biomedical Science students