HRH Princess Alexandra opens the £10m Charles Carter building

The Founding Chancellor of Lancaster University HRH Princess Alexandra has unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the £10m Charles Carter building.

HRH Princess Alexandra said: “I have vivid memories of Lancaster University going back many years and I’m immensely proud that I have this connection with the university. There’s a wonderful spirit here which is almost tangible on my visits.”

The 4,000sq m building, named after the founding Vice-Chancellor, provides additional academic facilities for Lancaster University Management School.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Chancellor Sir Christian Bonington, the Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings, the Dean of Lancaster University Management School Professor Sue Cox as well as Charles Carter’s son Peter and his nephew Emeritus Professor Richard Carter.

The Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings said: “This is an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come in 46 years and to pay tribute to Professor Sir Charles Carter. Lancaster University’s position in the top one per cent of international league tables and in the top five management schools nationally is testimony to his vision.”

Professor Sir Charles Carter, a distinguished economist who died in 2002, was the central figure in the creation of Lancaster University from 1963 until his retirement in 1979. He was instrumental in ensuring that the University included management subjects within its portfolio, at a time when they were still new to most universities.

The Dean of LUMS Professor Sue Cox said: “This facility will enable the school to continue to attract students in what has become a highly competitive market.”

Charles Carter’s son Peter said it was a great honour to see the building named after his late father. He said: “My father’s vision of the university was of a place accessible to all and the university remains true to this vision today. He would have been immensely gratified by the success the management school has enjoyed and he would be delighted by this wonderful new building.”

The ground floor of the building includes an open plan glazed atrium, an executive meeting room and lecture theatre while the upper floors include open plan PhD work areas, a large meeting room and academic offices.

It has been built to the highest environmental standards by Galliford Try, achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating. The architects, John McAslan and Partners, have integrated energy-reducing features into the design wherever possible. The south elevation is designed to shade the building while the concrete roof protects the top floor from heating up in the sun.

As part of the opening celebrations, Professor David Otley, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Accounting and Finance, gave a valedictory lecture in LUMS Lecture Theatre 1 entitled “The future is not what it was; reflections on managing uncertainty.