UU doesn't manage to sell UCU terrain

Five years ago, the university announced its intention to sell the terrain where the international campus currently operates. In addition to UCU, the space also houses the English-taught programmes Economics and Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE).  The Executive Board felt that the monumental status of the buildings and the size of the terrain made maintenance too expensive.  

Students and staff took the announcement quite hard at the time. According to them, the atmosphere provided by the campus is a significant factor behind the appeal of the programmes offered there.

However, five years later, the sale has become very uncertain, UU Vice-President Margot van der Starre revealed last month. “We were going to sell it, but we found out it can’t be sold,” she said in a committee meeting of the University Council. “We are investigating the possibility of staying there.”

Heritage
According to Campus & Facilities, part of the University Corporate Offices, the presence of residential buildings from Lekstede Wonen on the terrain is perceived as a problem by potential buyers. The university has several leasehold agreements with the housing association, from which UCU rents the rooms occupied by its students. A new owner would have to buy out these agreements.

But that's not the only obstacle. Fort Vossegat, which is adjacent to the international campus, was granted monumental status in 2021. When UNESCO declared the Dutch Water Defense Lines a World Heritage site, a zone around the fort, part of which is on the UCU terrain, was awarded this status as well. Additionally, the Dining Hall was recently given young monument status by the municipality of Utrecht, which also limits opportunities to develop the terrain.

Eddie Verzendaal, Director of Campus & Facilities, says that selling the terrain is “not impossible, but definitely a challenge”. UU still intends to sell it, he explains, “but we’re also going to look into alternatives, in collaboration with the terrain's users and both faculties located in the city centre.”

Exploring options
If UU decides not to sell the international campus, UCU will most probably stay there. However, Verzendaal says that, in this case, there will be an in-depth investigation into how the terrain and its buildings can be used as efficiently as possible. The university has been trying to get a better grip on housing costs for years (article in Dutch only, Ed.). 

It is as yet unclear whether students and teachers at the Economics and PPE programmes will get to stay on their campus in this scenario. Several options are being explored with the city centre faculties.

As part of this exploration, the university is considering selling expensive buildings in the city centre as well. In the committee meeting, Vice-President Van der Starre mentioned the Humanities building on Kromme Nieuwegracht 80. Activities currently taking place in this building could be moved to the international campus in the event of a sale.

Lastly, there’s the possibility of not disposing of the entire UCU terrain, but rather selling or renting out part of it and the buildings. 

Long-term issue
It became clear a while ago that UCU's relocation was a long-term issue. Of all options considered only one remains: placing it next to or inside the Androclus building, from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, at Utrecht Science Park.

Should the current terrain be sold after all, the earliest UCU would be able to move there is in ten years. First, the construction of the new building for Veterinary Sciences would have to be completed and the Androclus building would have to be dismantled. The university then estimates that a new complex for the University College could be ready by the end of 2034.