JCU to expand, 3 minutes down the road

By Nadin Aloufi

ROME, Feb.18 – Going through his papers, John Cabot University President Franco Pavoncello last week took out the blueprints to a new building. With a look of pride, he said "it is beautiful to see this university growing."

On Sept. 1, 2008, the university will occupy its new home, to be called "The Tiber Campus", a three-minute walk away from the current building on via della Lungara in Trastevere. 

JCU's goal is to bring more students to the university to share the experience, but space has been a problem. 

 

Today, there are 750 students, which include degree-seekers and visiting students. By opening a new campus, the university intends to enlarge the university and bring in around 300 new students by next semester. 

An organization that does not grow will start to decline, Pavoncello said.  The new building means JCU can fit at least 1,000 students.  Moreover, another reason for the movement is to provide more space for the students to sit and socialize with their fellow peers, he added. 

The building, used today as a primary school, is vast, probably costing 15-20 million euros to buy. The university will lease the building.

The design of the building is constructed to create an environment that is "full of life and light." the president said. 

The 3,500-square-meter school will have a basement containing a bar and a gathering area for the students. The classes will be very big and spread between two floors, with computer labs and another area for the students to chill between classes.