Eden Campus
Eden Campus lies at the heart of the University’s ambitious strategy to become carbon-neutral by 2035.
This hub of innovation and entrepreneurship will provide solutions to current energy problems; solutions which are essential to achieving a sustainable, low-carbon future, as well as to enabling the wider economic transformation of Scotland and the UK.
In 2020 the University was awarded £26.8million by the UK and Scottish governments as part of the Tay Cities Region Deal (TCRD) plus £3 million from Fife Council. The TCRD funding was allocated to four specific projects:
- Local and regional power upgrade
- Creation of GENEration Storage Innovation and Sustainability (Genesis) Centre
- Eden Enterprise Ecosystem
- The Installation of a demonstrator simulation facility, now called the D’Arcy Thompson Simulator Centre
Direct leverage from the Cities Deal and other funding sources, investments and industry partners is currently at around £60 million.
Various funding sources enabled the early development of Eden Campus, repurposing many of the former paper mill buildings on the site and creating Walter Bower House, home to over 450 of the University’s professional staff and also our new Entrepreneurship Centre, St Andrews Innovation, a library and community café.
Indirect benefits include the regeneration of Guardbridge village with over 300 new homes being built, improved public transport links, the doubling of the local primary school roll, the creation of a community garden, planting of 9000 trees and salt marsh restoration works – all helping to create a more sustainable and accessible community in an area that had been adversely affected by the closure of the paper mill in 2008.
In the last 12 months, the Eden Campus site has developed further, most recently with the opening of the new Rapid Prototyping Centre (RPC). The aim of the RPC is to foster academic and industrial collaborations in and around Fife and beyond and to provide a solid place to build a highly skilled workforce enabling individuals to develop the latest technical skills in sustainable design and manufacturing.
The Centre is available by appointment to all staff and students within the University, entrepreneurs, and local businesses looking to turn their ideas into prototypes, products, or services. In October, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor unveiled the Colin Vincent Centre for Battery Technology – the first of its kind in Scotland.
Facilities include an ultra-low humidity environment – or dry lab- enabling scientists to develop power for the next generation of batteries and energy storage.
Work is also underway by Scottish Power Energy Networks to upgrade and enhance the power supply in North East Fife which will create a new primary sub-station located at Eden Campus, supporting the wider area. Benefits will bring energy security and 30% increase in power capacity to the area removing constraints on future projects relying on sustainable sources of energy.
2023 also saw the University hand over the building which will become the home of the new Eden Mill distillery and visitor centre. The distillery, located on the edge of the Eden Campus site overlooking the estuary, aims to be carbon-neutral and may present further opportunities for research and innovation.
The sustainable focus of Eden Campus has also attracted businesses from other sectors including aquaculture and life sciences to locate to the site with potential for growth.