Rebuilding college integrating IT from ground up

Stockport College and Alfred McAlpine have teamed up to create the "college of the future," the school and IT services firm have said.

Stockport is in the midst of a £100 million rebuilding project, and has chosen Alfred McAlpine to help plan and deliver the new IT systems. Stockport will be expanding the campus, tearing down and rebuilding existing structures and modernising all their facilities - a perfect opportunity to upgrade their IT systems, said deputy principal Keith Alcock.

"Along with a number of other colleges, we have the opportunity to rebuild with significant grant support," said Alcock. The £100 million project is 70 per cent funded by government modernisation grants, he said, with the remaining money coming from the school itself.

The three-phase, four-year project will begin in the New Year with IT systems being incorporated into the design of the new buildings - to create an "intelligent building blueprint".

"We don't want to design any cul-de-sacs," Alcock said. "We need to be aware what technology is coming in the next two years, so we don't have to retrofit when we get there."

Many of the 8,500 students at the college are young, in the 15 to 19 age range, Alcock said, and quite advanced in their use of personal technology. "We wanted to bring someone into the design team which knows that," he said.

The second phase will see wireless rolled out to student social areas and across the entire campus. The WiFi system has already been successfully piloted in a local sports centre.

The college will also be implementing a campus wide virtual learning environment. "It's to allow learning when and where they want it, not necessarily in a classroom on a Monday," said Alcock.

The third phase will bring such technology into classrooms and administration - possibly including RFID for room access, Alcock said.

The modernisation will extend to all subject areas, he said. For example, the motor mechanics training area will be completely rebuilt, bringing it inline with computerised methods. "Our garages are very much a sixties environment," Alcock said. He foresees students using portable computers and other mobile technology in their new workspace.

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