Cutting edge new university facility will support the region’s future NHS workforce

Work is now complete on a state-of-the-art science, health, and medical building, which will further enhance the learning experience for students at Teesside University.

BIOS is a £36.9m building housing laboratories and innovative learning environments for science and clinical subjects and will provide a step change for health provision at Teesside.

Delivered by Wates Construction, BIOS officially opened for teaching this week.

BIOS is equipped with first-class facilities for the training of future healthcare and medical professionals and boasts cutting-edge technology and equipment across four floors. This includes digital anatomy facilities, an oral health research laboratory, a replica operating theatre and a fully immersive simulation suite, enabling students to work in a range of settings, from hospitals to sports arenas.

BIOS is the latest development to be completed as part of Teesside University’s ambitious Campus Masterplan, which has seen £280m invested in recent years to enhance the campus and facilities and provide the very best student and learning experience.

Teesside University has an outstanding reputation for healthcare provision, with students going on to successful careers within the regional and national healthcare sector. It also has a vast number of strategic partnerships with healthcare providers and NHS Trusts, enabling more opportunities for students and providing a pipeline of talent in a wide range of disciplines.

BIOS will further enhance this reputation and help equip students with the skills and experience they need to make a considerable impact in the workplace.

Teesside University Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Paul Croney, OBE said: “We work closely with our NHS partners and are acutely aware of the challenges they face in recruiting, retaining and reskilling their workforce.

“As an anchor institution, we are committed to addressing the skills gaps in our region. Our investment in BIOS makes a clear statement of our strategic intent to develop further provision across the science, health and medical sectors.”

Professor Tim Thompson, Dean of the School of Health & Life Sciences at Teesside University, said: “We are incredibly excited about BIOS and the opportunities this brings for our students. It really will be a game-changer in terms of our sciences and clinical provision.

“BIOS provides modern, flexible and digitally-enabled learning spaces that will train the next generation of health professionals and provide a compassionate, forward-thinking and inclusive learning environment.”

Malcolm Page, Chief Operating Officer at Teesside University, added: “We place our students at the heart of everything we do, and through our campus masterplan, we continue to provide the very best student and learning experience.

“BIOS reinforces our position as a university which invests not simply in our staff, students and campus, but also in our region. This facility firmly establishes Teesside as a thriving hub for skills development, creativity and inspiration.”

The School of Health & Life Sciences has around 10,000 students on undergraduate, post graduate, continuing professional development courses and degree apprenticeships – the vast majority of which come from the Teesside area.

Teesside University’s Campus Masterplan has seen a huge volume of development in recent years and has had a transformative impact, helping to position the University as a global institution with a mission to transform both lives and economies. Projects completed include the £13.1m Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre, putting Teesside at the heart of the UK’s green industrial revolution, as well as the £5m Postgraduate Student Hub, the £13.2m Student Life Building and the £21.4m Cornell Quarter Accommodation.

The Library at the University also recently underwent a £2.1m refurbishment, which will further enhance the facilities for students in that space.

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