Queen Mary opens new Informatics Teaching Laboratory building to transform learning and collaboration

More than just a new building, the ITL represents a long-term investment in the future of education at Queen Mary. Designed to move beyond conventional teaching spaces, it provides a flexible environment where students and academics can experiment, co-create, and reimagine how learning and teaching take place. From collaborative classrooms to project-based learning and social spaces, the ITL has been created to evolve with its users — shaped by ideas, energy, and new ways of working. 

A flexible space for innovative education 

A core principle behind the ITL’s design is flexibility. Each floor has been purposefully designed to support different types of learning and interaction, allowing teaching approaches to adapt to the needs of students and staff. 

The ground and first floors will serve as the main computer-based spaces, though offering open, reconfigurable layouts that move away from traditional banked desks. These environments are designed to encourage active learning, group work, and collaboration. 

The second floor will provide student-focused collaborative spaces alongside meeting rooms, supporting both independent and group study as well as academic engagement beyond the classroom. The third floor will host an additional project-based teaching space, including screens positioned at the ends of desks to support technical and practical learning. The fourth floor will function as a social space, recognising the importance of informal interaction and community-building within the student experience. 

A long-term investment in EECS and beyond 

The £20 million refurbishment and extension of the ITL reflects Queen Mary’s strategic commitment to strengthening its technological capabilities and creating a future-ready campus. Approved in late 2023, the project has been delivered over an 18-month period. 

Rather than focusing solely on sheer capacity, the investment prioritises quality, adaptability, and innovation in education. The ITL has been designed to support new models of teaching and learning, enabling students and academics to co-create educational experiences that respond to rapid technological change and evolving industry needs. 

Opening in phases 

From today (Monday 26 January 2026), the ITL will open through a phased approach, allowing the space to be introduced gradually and to evolve in response to real teaching and learning activity. Students and staff will be part of this journey from the very beginning, helping shape how the building is used as it becomes a vibrant hub for learning, collaboration, and innovation. 

Professor Colin Bailey CBE, President and Principal of Queen Mary said: “I am delighted to see this new informatics teaching laboratory open to students. The redevelopment of this space, alongside other significant investments in our estate, demonstrate Queen Mary’s commitment to providing students and staff with innovative, inclusive, sustainable environments in which to learn and educate, and exemplify our 2030 Strategy vision of opening the doors of opportunity to anyone with the potential to succeed.”

Professor Steve Uhlig, Head of the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science said: “The Informatics Teaching Laboratory has been the heart of computer science at Queen Mary for decades. The ITL has been designed to support new models of teaching and learning, enabling students and academics to co-create educational experiences that respond to rapid technological change and evolving industry needs. I believe that this building will inspire many similar teaching spaces, enabling University learners to own and co-create the future with academics."

Read Willmott Dixon's press release.