Co-location of the Department of Computer and Systems Science is postponed

Why did the Steering Committee make this decision?

– One of the main goals of the local optimization project is to contribute to stabilizing the university's finances in the long term. Therefore, it is also important that the work in the project has focus on the financial perspective, says President Hans Adolfsson.

– The university has been in long-term negotiations with Akademiska Hus to obtain a quote for the planned operational adaptations in Södra Huset. The quotation that we have received significantly exceeds the university's own calculation.

– The decision not to move the Department of Computer and Systems Science during the first phase of the renovation work is due to several factors. Firstly, the university had to meet a deadline set by Akademiska Hus to keep the momentum in planning the renovation work. Secondly, the cost estimate that Akademiska Hus presented was not clearly reported. The university requested a transparent reporting of the costs but did not receive an arbitrary explanation before the deadline.

– Finally, as mentioned above, the cost estimate presented by Akademiska Hus is way too high. It is unacceptable because it prevents us from carrying out the planned adaptations in Södra Huset and stabilizing the economy at the same time, he says.

What does the decision mean for the project's assignment to co-locate operations to Frescati?

– It still applies. For example, the Department of Media Studies (IMS) has moved into Albano and the work to plan and implement the move of the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Culture to the Arrhenius Laboratory at Frescati is in full swing, says Hans Adolfsson.

– Co-locating the Department of Computer and Systems Science to Frescati or its immediate vicinity is a strategic decision that was made by the President and the Deputy Vice President for Human Science in 2021. The decision still applies.

– We should also remember that the co-location assignment is just one of the assignments that the location optimization project has. The project will, among other things, also ensure increased utilization of the university premises and at the same time make them more effective in how we use them, concludes Hans Adolfsson.

What consequences will the decision have for the project's continued work?

– This decision only affects the work in Södra Huset and no other parts of the project, says Head of Property Management Office, László Nagy Némedi.

– Of course, the project needs to replan the work for Södra Huset. The Department of Computer and Systems Science would have moved into the first building to be renovated, and the department would have used the entire building, except for teaching premises. The project needs to review how the premises optimization should be implemented as a consequence of of the decision, while an investigation is being carried out to see when it is most appropriate to co-locate the department, he says.