While being clearly aware that the changes will have a huge impact on employees, Koen says the current cuts to higher education justify a critical look at Radboud University's housing. ‘Because there will soon be fewer staff, and student numbers are decreasing,’ he explains. ‘As a result, we need less space. At the same time, we can use the campus more efficiently. It’s still too often the case that many square metres are left unused.’
According to Koen, there is a logical explanation for this. ‘Many colleagues still have their own dedicated workspace. When they are working from home, on holiday, or away at a conference, their office remains empty. This leads to inefficient use of space.’
More than a desk and a chair
In an effort to use the campus more efficiently, the workspace policy of several years ago already envisaged sharing workspaces. ‘That’s the line we are taking now,’ says Koen. ‘The campus is and will remain the place where everyone is welcome and where we meet each other. We want to move towards a more compact campus that is better utilised. That means not only a transition in square metres and euros, but also a culture change.’
Having said that, Koen acknowledges that a relocation has impact. ‘For many employees, a workspace is much more than a desk and a chair. They are often attached to their office and experience it as a space where they can do their best work. It is where their working materials are, where they receive their PhD candidates and colleagues for consultations. As Campus & Facilities, we can’t meet all individual needs when relocating, but we work intensively with faculties and organisational units to best match the work patterns and work styles of employees. And where necessary, we take into account medical indications.’
Immediately noticeable
Within Radboud University, housing costs are charged to faculties and organisational units. According to Koen, this makes space reduction immediately noticeable in their budget. ‘The Nijmegen School of Management, for example, downsized last summer and they have been paying less for housing since,’ he explains. ‘That gives them more financial scope. We try to fill up as much vacant space as possible by moving other units or sub-units, which eventually allows us to dispose of a building. We usually manage to do so fairly quickly, but not always. For example, the space that was vacated in the Erasmus building in anticipation of its renovation won’t be refilled.’
According to Koen, not using square metres leads to immediate savings for the University. ‘That’s because the costs for cleaning and energy, for example, go down. But not all costs fall away automatically. For example, the costs of insurance and depreciation of an under-occupied building still have to be paid. By disposing of buildings – through sale, demolition, or rental – even greater savings can be realised. We achieve the biggest savings by not having to invest in these buildings in the future.’
As a concrete example, he mentions the building at 1 Thomas van Aquinostraat. ‘If we wanted to continue using that building, a multi-million euro renovation would be needed in a few years' time. By closing it, we avoid those future costs. These are conscious choices.’
Campus plan
In late October, the Executive Board adopted a proposed decision about a new campus plan. ‘The plan states which buildings we want to keep, which we will invest in, and which we will close,’ Koen explains. ‘The plan still has to be approved by the University Joint Assembly (UGV) and the Supervisory Board. Both are expected to reach a decision on it in December.’
Based on the campus plan, a phased plan will be formulated, stating who is moving where when space becomes available. ‘We want to concentrate vacancy in an entire building or building section so that we can then close it. That means employees will have to move, which in turn requires good coordination.’ Koen then cites the example of the current study into the possible relocation of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies from the Erasmus building to the Maria Montessori building. ‘We are taking into account both the relocating faculty and the Faculty of Social Sciences, which is already housed in that building. Faculties and organisational units are involving their staff in the change so that the process goes as smoothly as possible.’
To further that process, a space requirement model has been developed. ‘This model allows us to determine how much space a faculty or organisational unit as a whole needs based on various factors, such as the number of FTEs, 0-hour contracts, and working patterns/styles,’ Koen explains. ‘On average, faculties and organisational units have to give up approximately 25% of their working environment. This should result in millions of euros in savings. And while we understand that many employees aren’t exactly excited about moving, we’d rather save on metres than on people.’