Radboud University is committed to significantly reducing its use of space. Financial constraints, sustainability targets and changing ways of working and studying call for more efficient occupancy and utilisation of buildings. Smarter use of buildings and the disposal of redundant square metres will result in a compact, efficient and future-proof green campus.
Campus Plan 2026: more campus, fewer metres
Following positive advice from the employee participation body and approval by the Supervisory Board, the Executive Board definitively adopted the Campus Plan 2026. The Campus Plan provides guidance on how the university will further develop its buildings and outdoor spaces in the coming years.
“We are building a campus that is smaller in size but greater in significance. By sharing space and investing sustainably, we are creating an environment that remains affordable and is ready for the future” (Suzanne Vahl, Director of Campus & Facilities).
Development lines
To make these ambitions concrete and feasible, they have been elaborated in the Campus Plan in five interrelated lines of development. Together, they form the substantive and spatial framework for the further development of the campus.
- A compact heart – Around the Erasmus Building, University Library and sports and cultural centre, a lively zone for education, research and socialising is emerging.
- Liveliness with direction – Central programming and digital platforms make the campus offerings visible and accessible.
- Living on campus – New living concepts enhance vibrancy and attract students, in collaboration with SSH& and the municipality of Nijmegen.
- Space for partners and innovation – The campus is expanding as a Science Park, with space for companies and institutions that contribute to Radboud themes such as health, sustainability and AI.
- Sustainability as a guiding principle – Renovation over new construction, greening and attention to biodiversity ensure an energy-efficient and future-proof campus.
Decreasing space requirements
The demand for space is declining due to more efficient use of space, more flexible education and the expected decline in the number of students and staff. Using the space requirements model for the working environment, faculties and units determine how much space they really need, based on FTEs and working styles. In 2025, this already led to the release of space in, among others, the Maria Montessori Building, the Elinor Ostrom Building and Thomas van Aquinostraat 1.
Sliding plan
To prevent scattered vacancy across the campus, the university works with a sliding plan. This plan identifies which departments logically fit together and how existing square metres and facilities can be optimally utilised. Vacant spaces are combined into parts of buildings or even entire buildings and serve as temporary accommodation during renovations or are sold off.
This reorganisation will not only lead to lower costs and a more sustainable, efficiently utilised campus, but will also create more space for housing and Science Park functions. In this way, the space requirements model and the sliding plan together contribute to a more compact campus where education, research and interaction remain central.
Development of real estate portfolio until 2040
Buildings are disposed of through demolition, leasing or sale, depending on what is most appropriate financially and strategically. This reduces operating costs and, through sale or leasing, creates investment opportunities for sustainability and campus development.
Based on current insights and developments, buildings such as the Spinoza Building, the Mercator Buildings, the Comenius Buildings, the Aula and the Berchmanianum will eventually be divested. Research is being conducted into how central (academic) functions currently located in the Aula, the Comenius Buildings and the Berchmanianum can be relocated to the compact heart of the campus.
Campus Plan 2026 storyline
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