Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) will execute accelerated construction of the new buildings on Wageningen Campus for the groups in the department of Agrotechnology and Nutrition (Agrotechnologie en Voeding) which are still located at De Dreijen. This will affect a total of approximately 600 employees. This move was originally planned for sometime around 2020, but because of the success of Wageningen Campus and the express wishes of the chair groups, the Supervisory Board has decided to execute the plans for new construction at an earlier date.
Aalt Dijkhuizen, chairman of Wageningen UR’s Executive Board, communicated the decision to the groups at De Dreijen on 10 November. The Supervisory Board approved the investment decision on 9 November. A thorough feasibility study was carried out prior to the decision. “Now we’re going to go full speed ahead,” said Dijkhuizen in the Biotechnion building at De Dreijen. He hopes that the building can be completed in 2013.
Peter van den Elzen, Managing Director of the Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group, is very happy with the Supervisory Board’s decision. ‘It’s a wise decision. Agrotechnology and Nutrition deserves a new building. The number of students is increasing rapidly, the graduate schools are achieving excellent results, and there are a Spinoza Prize winner and fellows of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences here. Financially we’re also in good shape. Moving to the Campus will benefit the cooperation between the university and the other units of Wageningen UR, such as the organisation for contract research.”
For further information, please contact Simon Vink, Supervisory Board spokesman, on +31 (0)317-482466 or simon.vink@wur.nl