This six-storey building is at the centre of the redevelopment plans, alongside the wider enhancement of Mile End Road and improvements to public spaces. The plans will also deliver numerous benefits to both students and the wider community.
Professor Colin Bailey CBE, President and Principal, Queen Mary University of London said, "Following a public consultation, we are delighted that the London Borough of Tower Hamlets has approved the application to build a dedicated home for our School of Business and Management. This development is due to be delivered in early 2026 and will ensure the continuity of the world-class education we offer to our students, who come to us from Tower Hamlets and across the globe."
Professor Frances Bowen, Vice-Principal (Humanities and Social Sciences) said, "Our University sits within a unique place in the East End, and this new, contemporary home for our School of Business and Management will offer significant benefits to Queen Mary students and staff. And it will also benefit the local area through improvements to the public spaces in and around the site. It is an investment in the future of the University and the vital role we are proud to play in East London."
The School of Business and Management (SBM) has been welcoming students into their programmes for the past 20 years. Since opening, it has been committed to supporting the local community, by working with local businesses, charities, community organisations, and entrepreneurs, to improve opportunities for those who live and work in the neighbourhood. In 2021, SBM was recognised by the UK’s Chartered Association of Business Schools as an exemplary business school for its commitment to the public good. In addition, Queen Mary has recently been ranked as the best University in the country for social mobility by the Sutton Trust and SBM is ranked at No.1 of all business schools in this regard. The School currently continues to enhance its existing links with the community, welcoming pupils from across London and promoting social mobility.
The new building for the School of Business Management presents an extraordinary opportunity for Queen Mary to enhance its academic distinction, support its dedication to diversity and inclusion, bolster its academic facilities and resources and to continue serving the local community.
The School has been expanding steadily, with around 3,000 students and 100 academic staff currently, and with further appointments planned for 2022. However, its base in part of the Francis Bancroft building is no longer fit for purpose and does not maximise the School’s potential. A new building would provide an appropriate home for the School, reflecting the momentum of its development and providing the best space and facilities for their faculty and students. In particular, it would bring the greatest benefit to the growing number of local students by providing them with the high quality, flexible study space that they often lack at home.
Learn more about the School of Business and Management.