Strategic Estate Framework
The Strategic Estate Framework outlines the long-term vision and strategic direction for the University of Cambridge’s operational estate, towards a more effective, efficient, and environmentally sustainable estate that better connects people. Introducing a design philosophy that will underpin and guide all future developments.
A more effective, efficient and sustainable estate will provide:
- High quality and welcoming spaces, using our estate more intensively
- Spaces that encourage collaboration and promote an inter-connected community of scholars
- Vibrant and sustainable spaces that will improve both the staff and student experience and their wellbeing
- Reduce costs, enabling reinvestment back into research and teaching
- Improving competitive advantage, enabling the University to continue operating at a world-class level
The Strategic Estate Framework sets out the opportunities across the University’s operational estate, structured into six Principal Programmes. Developed in collaboration with the Schools and Non-School Institutions, these programmes will become pivotal to achieving the estate’s long-term vision, aligning future developments with the University’s academic ambitions.
Access the Strategic Estate Framework. There is also an accessible version of the Strategic Estate Framework.
There is also a summary version of the Strategic Estate Framework. Please contact ReshapingourEstate@admin.cam.ac.uk if you would like a printed copy of this document.
The Strategic Estate Capital Plan sets out a long-term financial view of how the University will invest in the estate to help deliver the vision as outlined within the Strategic Estate Framework and includes a budget for each of the six Principal Programmes.
Designed to be flexible, the Strategic Estate Capital Plan will be reviewed annually and updated to reflect new projects, shifts in priorities, changes in financial context and opportunities for external funding. It provides a financial roadmap to ensure the estate continues to support the University’s academic mission into the future.
The Strategic Estate Framework is supported by the following foundations:
- Reshaping our Estate Principles - an underpinning design guide for the University estate.
- Estates Committee Decision-Making Guidelines [PDF, cam-only] - a guide to how the Estate committee will consider each project in the context of the Reshaping our Estate Principles.
- Sequencing Indicators [PDF, cam-only] - a common narrative structure to support future conversations and decision-making on how projects will be sequenced and prioritised when compared to each other.
Note: The Strategic Estate Framework and Strategic Estate Capital Plan were approved by the General Board and the University Council in July 2025. Both strategic documents were developed as part of the Reshaping our Estate programme which involved collaborating with the University community to establish the facts and present opportunities to support the overall objective of creating a more effective, efficient and environmentally sustainable estate. (Click here to see the Reporter Notice).