3 Jul 2012

World class new facilities for university

12:05 pm on 3 July 2012

Auckland University says new medical and health sciences facilities being opened on Tuesday by the prime minister are as good as any in the world.

The university says the $240 million redevelopment of the Grafton campus is the biggest single capital development it's ever undertaken, which will provide 7000 square metres of extra space on the same footprint.

It says the expansion is needed to upgrade medical training and facilities established in 1968 for 55 students.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Iain Martin says more than 4000 students are now involved in undergraduate medical, pharmacy, nursing and other studies and postgraduate research and teaching. All of them will now be on the one site.

Professor Martin says the new facilities include a high-containment lab for work on infectious diseases.

He says it will also mean Auckland University can grow to take up to about 300 medical students per year.