No aspect of campuses is unaffected. The geography and everyday experience of education, modes of teaching and learning, the position of learners, and the structure of research are shifting in line with three main trends shaping the campus of tomorrow: connectivity, urban identity and socioeconomic awareness, and social responsibility. Campuses must rise to these challenges and find their footing in a context of stiffer international competition between higher education institutions.

Digital technology is changing how and where we learn, how research is conducted and even the cognitive profile of students. Campuses must now be connected and provide new methods of learning: distance education, supervision systems for the creation of smart campuses and dedicated to research. Support the rise of online and distance learning. Equipment and materials must be designed for multi-site learning. Application solutions coupled with physical devices within the facilities (microphones, cameras, etc.) can be used to facilitate exchanges between teachers and remote students. Campuses also produce audiovisual content and this entails setting up digital network infrastructure.

For example: connection of the site with information from real-time transportation systems to facilitate travel, connection of the facilities to manage occupancy or make them accessible to different individuals belonging to the general public, overseeing electrical consumption of buildings, predictive maintenance of the premises and equipment, etc. Design digital campuses made for collaborative and multi-site research Researchers need facilities to work in private as well as facilities to work together. Some campuses even design their facilities so as to bring researchers into contact with one another. Collaborative research also means that researchers travel a lot and thus that campuses need facilities to host them temporarily (such as serviced offices, etc.).

Campuses will thus be tasked with preparing future workers for jobs that do not yet exist. Campuses will have to be urbanised to train the professionals and citizens of tomorrow to face future ethical issues: robotisation, use of data, etc. Campuses that are integrated into urban ecosystems become important flag bearers for a region, neighbourhood or urban renovation project. Its successful insertion is based on its architecture but also on its connection with the rest of the area and its surroundings. The campus can make its public spaces places of culture, sports activities or leisure activities open to all. The University of Liège which also serves as the location of an open air museum and is frequented by locals, visitors and educators of every stripe.

Transform the student into an entrepreneur The ability to turn students into entrepreneurs and startup founders is a major drawcard for universities. This incubating role is manifesting in new spaces. The rise of digital technology combined with design thinking has introduced a generation of makers who put prototypes, tests and simulations at the heart of their processes. Fab labs, which use rapid prototyping technology (such as 3D printers) and digital tools and resources to manufacture goods in small quantities, can support these new modes of production.

Reference: Innocity, CentraleSupélec: on-campus VIP treatment It planned to renovate an existing building and erect two new structures; the design, construction and maintenance of one of these, comprising a total surface area of around 25,000 square metres, was awarded to a consortium led by Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France. The project was marked by the bold decision to set up business-oriented hotel facilities at the heart of the campus and have them run by a private investor.

Optimize natural resources on campus Campus buildings and facilities, whether built from scratch or renovated, must be designed with minimal energy consumption in mind. By using various renewable sources of energy, electricity production can be evened out. For example, solar and wind energy complement each other depending on the weather and tidal cycles. Energy storage facilities are one way of offsetting the irregular supply of renewable energy and of managing peak demand on campus.

Encourage clean-living uses and behaviour At the same time as enhancing the energy performance of buildings, campuses must find ways to motivate their users to reduce their combined environmental footprint. As campus populations keep changing due to turnover, sustainable behaviour must be so intuitive as to facilitate rapid adoption. Campuses must also raise awareness with respect to transport issues, especially with respect to travelling to and from home and the campus. A wide range of solutions can be planned: applications dedicated to carpooling in the community, car-sharing or bike sharing system, pedestrian or bicycle lanes, bike repair shops, charging stations for electric vehicles, etc.