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

"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 development."

John M. Carethers, MD, vice chancellor for the health sciences, emphasized the new facility's value in supporting Health Sciences programs and constituents and realizing the university’s strategic plan.

“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,” said Carethers. “It showcases the university’s fervent commitment to our mission.”

Enhancing the student experience

The primary beneficiaries of the new 8980 building will be the students of the Division of Extended Studies programs that will be relocated to the building from the original La Jolla campus complex located on the UC San Diego campus. These offerings include international programs, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, professional development courses and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which serves the community of learners aged 50 years and older. It will also be the home for UCSD-TV and UCTV, along with a new Visual Production Services unit, as well as for much of the Extended Studies administrative staff, including the Dean’s Office and Student Services.

“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.”

"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."

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.

More offerings for corporate partners

In addition to international students, the other large cohort of students that will be using the facility are businesses and corporations, as well as campus departments, that regularly partner with the Division of Extended Studies to train and upskill their workforce. Their primary interest is to offer continuing education for leadership and employees on topics such as management, process improvement, and technical skills.

The upgraded space for corporate partnerships and education aligns with the university's vision of a future where education evolves with students' changing needs and the demands of the global marketplace.

"This facility will provide an exciting new environment for cutting-edge corporate training programs," remarked Villar. "It is designed to meet the needs of the evolving global workforce and further strengthen our ties with the San Diego business community.”

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.

Enhancing health sciences research

In addition to the Division of Extended Studies, the other major UC San Diego department residing in the new building is Health Sciences. The facility promises to offer a number of major upgrades to existing clinical research 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.

"It's a better, more modern design," Kaplan emphasized. "By bringing these groups together, we hope for organic synergy where people bump into each other, discover what others are working on, and find new ways of collaborating."

Health Sciences research programs focusing on mental health stand to benefit the most from the updated facilities.

“Many of the studies that will be housed in the new facility are looking at populations with addiction issues or other mental health challenges,” said Kaplan. “We’re trying to understand why they are struggling and what we can do about it. These research programs help us discover new ways to diagnose and treat such conditions.”

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."

A catalyst for collaboration

Beyond student facilities, the building at 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive will also house the administrative offices of the Division of Extended Studies and Health Sciences. This will be a boon for inter-department collaboration and will integrate the staff more closely with the university’s educational mission.

For Health Sciences, several key departments will be moving into the 8980 building, including the Departments of Psychiatry, Family Medicine and Radiology, along with the School of Public Health.

"Psychiatry is the anchor department, but we have a variety of other departments moving in as well," Kaplan stated. "This diverse mix will benefit from the shared resources and collaborative environment."

The building's design also caters to the evolving work environment post-pandemic, with hybrid and remote work styles. 

"We were sure to build out the office environment with hybrid teams, different working styles, and new office configurations in mind," said Villar. "We'll have more hoteling stations, huddle rooms, and telephone rooms—which are really used more for Zoom these days."

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.

An investment in the future

In all, the move to the new building has been met with great enthusiasm from all the departments involved.

"People are excited about the opportunity to collaborate more closely," Kaplan said. "The new space allows for more interaction, which can lead to innovative research and better outcomes."

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.

Learn more

Register to attend the Division of Extended Studies Showcase 2024 on September 18 for a chance to see the 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive building up close and learn about services and programs available to campus and community

Explore Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offerings at https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/olli/.

Learn more about Extended Studies International Programs at https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/international-programs/.