Bridging the Future: UC San Diego’s New 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive Building Opens Doors for Science and Education

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• Jennie Van Meter- [email protected]

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The UC San Diego campus is set to unveil a new facility at 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive that promises to create new opportunities for international students, lifelong learning communities, workforce development efforts and health science research.

The new building, located right across the street from the main campus, will serve as the headquarters for the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, featuring classrooms, training spaces and key administrative offices. It will also be a research hub for UC San Diego Health Sciences, offering new collaborative resources for a dozen different programs. Though select constituents have engaged in summer programming since June, the building will officially open with a ribbon cutting on July 24, 2024.

"This new facility represents a significant milestone in UC San Diego's commitment to excellence in education and research," said UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "The building's position at the front door of the university, with easy access from the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley, will open up unparalleled opportunities for our students, researchers, community and corporate partners to have access to UC San Diego in new ways."

A key factor in the design of the building was to create an adaptable learning environment that could keep up with the ever-evolving dynamics of education and the workforce. With the future in mind, the interior spaces have been developed to respond to emerging technologies, updated ways of working, and skill sets that haven't existed before.

"Everything about this new facility is going to be state-of-the-art," explained Hugo Villar, Dean of UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. "The updates will allow us to better adapt to the changing needs of students and corporate partners so we can continue to provide top-tier education and professional deve

The building's position at the front door of the university, with easy access from the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley, will open up unparalleled opportunities for our students, researchers, community and corporate partners to have access to UC San Diego in new ways. Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla

"We are looking to upgrade the student experience with this facility more than the total number of students that we serve," said Villar. "It's really about providing those students with a better experience when they come to us, both now and in the future."

One of the building's standout features is its emphasis on spaces designed for community and interaction among students.

"The design includes communal areas that feel more like living rooms, with comfortable seating and coffee tables to encourage informal conversations and connections," said Villar. "By providing more space for communication and interaction, students will have a better chance of getting to know each other and making connections."

Members of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UC San Diego mingle with guests in one of the communal spaces during the Summer Open House on June 29, 2024.

Another key feature of the building will be the flexible and adaptable classroom spaces.

"The building is revolutionary in that sense," said Villar. "It is incorporating new ideas around learning, teaching, and how that's reflected in the classroom space."

All classrooms will be designed with mobile furniture, allowing for various configurations to suit different teaching and learning styles. The classrooms will also have modular partitioning that will allow adjacent rooms to be connected for a larger classroom space when needed.

"Depending on the needs of the class, you can configure the room in completely different ways," said Villar. "Sometimes you may want it to have it in a traditional classroom format, other times you could have students in groups working together. Whatever arrangement the instructor wants can be accommodated."

Osher programs at UC San Diego offer a variety of experiences that are supported by the new building's adaptable spaces.

There have been a number of important technological upgrades, as well. The building is equipped with advanced audio-visual connectivity to support hybrid classrooms, which have become essential in the post-COVID era. Additionally, the building features computer outlets and plug-ins that are easily replaceable, ensuring that the facility can adapt to new technologies as they emerge.

"This adaptability ensures that the educational environment remains dynamic and responsive to the evolving needs of both students and educators," said Villar.

The building is also updated with the latest standards for safety, support, and accessibility, such as the most stringent seismic codes, ADA compliance, wellness rooms for nursing mothers, and gender-neutral bathrooms.

The building is also updated with the latest standards for safety, support, and accessibility, such as the most stringent seismic codes, ADA compliance, wellness rooms for nursing mothers, and gender-neutral bathrooms.

The new building's updated technological capabilities greatly expand the range of training the Division of Extended Studies can offer to campus and corporate partners. This feature can include more seamless sessions for hybrid or remote teams, as well as training on the latest technology and updated systems.

"With the new building, we plan to offer more experiences to corporate partners to train their workers with us," said Villar. "We can offer bespoke training solutions that align with the diverse requirements of corporate partners, all with the backing of a premier university like UC San Diego."

Another key benefit is the adjacency to campus. The location will allow students and visitors to easily access the university's resources, such as the UC San Diego Library, and enjoy the feel of a university campus while maintaining a distinct space dedicated to professional development.

"Individuals who come to us seeking to upgrade their skills love the proximity to campus," Villar said. "They love to be able to walk on campus and feel the university around them."

Through increased training partnerships, Villar believes the new building can become a key cornerstone in bridging the gap between academia and industry in San Diego for years to come.

With the new building, we plan to offer more experiences to corporate partners to train their workers with us. We can offer bespoke training solutions that align with the diverse requirements of corporate partners, all with the backing of a premier university like UC San Diego." Dean Hugo Villar, UC San Diego Extended Studies

Innovation and service are outlined in UC San Diego Health's strategic mission of delivering outstanding patient care through commitment to the community, groundbreaking research and inspired teaching. The new building offers the university a better opportunity to fulfill this vision.

"It's all there," said Kaplan. "There's research. There's also instruction. It's an opportunity for our students-both undergrad and graduate-to participate in research programs. That in turn leads into patient care and also supports the community."

For Health Sciences, the primary benefit of the new building is an opportunity to consolidate and enhance their research efforts all into one place.

"We currently have 12 to 14 different suites in the adjacent facility, each operating in isolation," said Kaplan. "This new space allows us to bring these programs together into one synergized environment, supporting all the different programs more efficiently and effectively."

The building's shared resources, such as common kitchens, exam rooms, and phlebotomy stations, are designed to improve operational efficiency and foster collaboration.

The new building brings multiple research programs together into one synergized space, supporting UC San Diego's commitment to advancing groundbreaking research, inspired teaching and community outreach across disciplines. It showcases the university's fervent commitment to our mission. John M. Carethers, MD, Vice Chancellor for UC San Diego Health Sciences

The location of the new building near the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center is another significant advantage for Health Science research programs.

"One of the benefits of this particular facility is that it's very close to the VA. A lot of our human subject research participants come from the VA," said Kaplan. "This proximity facilitates easy access for research participants, which is important for the continuity and stability of long-term studies, particularly those involving mental health and addiction science."

The integration of Health Sciences with the Division of Extended Studies creates numerous opportunities for students to learn about and engage with ongoing research.

"We'll have thousands of students coming through the facility," Kaplan continued. "They'll be running into researchers in the elevators, seeing program descriptions, and potentially getting involved in research studies themselves. This kind of organic interaction can spark interest and lead to even greater participation in research programs, which is always important to us."

One of the benefits of this particular facility is that it's very close to the VA...This proximity facilitates easy access for research participants, which is important for the continuity and stability of long-term studies, particularly those involving mental health and addiction science. Jeff Kaplan, Senior Director of Planning and Space Management, UC San Diego Health Sciences

Kaplan also highlighted the updated technology as a key feature of the new building.

"The conference rooms have cameras, audio systems, and designs that support hybrid connectivity," said Kaplan. "This is an important update in the post-COVID era. It allows us to continue our work effectively, even with some team members working remotely."

The location of the 8980 building is also accessible via public transportation.

"We are along the trolley line, in between two stations, Nobel Drive and the VA. It's just 10 minutes away from either of those two stations by walking," Villar said.

The proximity of the trolley line will also link the new building to other key UC San Diego locations, such as Park & Market in downtown San Diego and the UC San Diego Health System and other facilities on the east side of the main campus.

This connectivity can make commuting easier for students and enhance the overall student experience by providing easy access to urban and academic environments.

The proximity of the trolley line will also link the new building to other key UC San Diego locations, such as Park & Market in downtown San Diego and the UC San Diego Health System and other facilities on the east side of the main campus.

Villar highlights the upgrades in technology and adaptability, which, in his eyes, really accentuate the new building's value.

"We do not know what educational technologies will be available to us in 5-10 years. We'll have artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and so on, so we have to be prepared for the adoption of new technologies as they come along. This new building will facilitate that."

These upgrades make the 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive building more than just a building. It's an investment that will further the university's ability to support academic and professional development, underscoring UC San Diego's commitment to innovation and excellence in education and research.

Students, researchers, and corporate partners alike will benefit from the advanced technological infrastructure, flexible learning spaces, and improved opportunities for collaboration.

UC San Diego's 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive building is an investment in academic and professional development for students, researchers and corporate partners.