ABSTRACT
Students learn wherever they feel comfortable, both on and off campus. On campus, students expect the same level of quality and choice they find on the high street, which is leading to the provision of high-quality, comfortable, adaptable environments where they can access information, interact with one another and use a variety of supporting spaces, services and technologies. Social learning spaces are one of the primary attractions for students when choosing a university. Universities with multiple campuses, predominantly found in larger cities, are more likely to follow an ever-more decentralised model in the future, where a network of ‘learning commons’ is spread throughout the built estate supported by strong online support rather than one central library. The explanation is obvious and simple: learning is only a formalised cognitive process but a holistic social experience where the face-to-face contact with tutors and fellow students is indispensable.
