Huddersfield wins 2019 AUDE Estates/Facilities Team of the Year

“In areas from social engagement to strategy, leadership skills to space management, Huddersfield’s Estates and Facilities Team is a committed and talented crew,” said the judges

THE team that develops, manages and maintains the University of Huddersfield’s campus has won a new award and earned exceptional levels of praise from the chief of the organisation that bestowed it.

The award is Estates/Facilities Team of the Year, from AUDE, the Association of University Directors of Estates.  It was announced at a ceremony taking place at the organisation’s annual conference, held in Lancaster.

AUDE’s Executive Director Jane White said: “Huddersfield win our Team of the Year award several times over.”

She cited the success of the Student Central building and the importance placed on training, plus the University’s “very smart campus – flexible in use, adaptable to whatever the future brings”.

Ms White also praised the social engagement of the University of Huddersfield’s Estates and Facilities.  “Their activities to support young people into permanent work, and to break down barriers to social inclusion, have made a real difference,” she said.

The Huddersfield team are on a roll at the moment, added Ms White, and its mindset of “good isn’t good enough” was a great way of pushing the standards.

AUDE judges stated that the Team of the Year award had been given for “a combination of projects and measures that suggest that Huddersfield’s university estate really is one of the best-run in the country”.

Ninety-six per cent of the campus achieved the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors top ratings of Condition A&B and the University was among the top ten most financially viable in the country, with estates development funded on zero borrowings.

The University of Huddersfield’s Director of Estates and Facilities, Colin Blair – among the party who stepped up to receive the award – stated that his department’s team ethic is a major contributor to its success.

“To run a first-class Higher Education estate, you simply must assemble a first-class team,” he commented.

“As the inspirational Helen Keller said: ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much’.  I like to think we have proved this point at the University of Huddersfield and as a result we have one of the best-developed and best-maintained campuses in the sector.  This brings enormous benefits to students and staff and is also a tremendous boost to the regional economy and to the local community.  It is all because of teamwork,” said Mr Blair.

AUDE judges were impressed by the fact that Estates and Facilities at Huddersfield has challenged the status quo in terms of training – starting with commitment from the top.

“Directors have all completed their Level 7 Chartered Management Institute qualifications, and the next tier of managers is now taking this qualification.  British Institute of Cleaning Standards Qualifications have been introduced and all cleaners have successfully completed this training – again impacting on staff and student perception of the working environment,” state the judges.

“In areas from social engagement to strategy, leadership skills to space management, Huddersfield’s Estates and Facilities Team is a committed and talented crew.”