News
Thinadhoo Campus Development: Foundation-Laying of Main Learning Spaces
8th January 2012
In order to expand the benefits of the University to more citizens, particularly to those of Thinadhoo and the Southern region, MNU and its precursor institutions have acquired land in Thinadhoo about 18 years ago. The land had remained vacant since then. The development that MNU had carried out in the island was in an adjoining plot earmarked for staff and student accommodation. Classrooms and a hostel have been built in this land over the past ten years. MNU had decided not to built on the previous land conserving it for main campus buildings.
The project to build main Campus had been submitted to the Government for the past four years. In 2010, the project was approved thanks, in part, by intensive lobbying of the people of Thinadhoo and the members of Majlis from the island, Mr Gasam and Mr Nazim. The main campus is to be built in phases.
The first phase comprises two workshops for engineering studies, a large hall, a temporary library and office and staff spaces. The foundation laying ceremony of the first phase was held about 5 pm today.
To mark the start of the project, members of the Island Council and Atoll Council and others present poured concrete into the footing of a main pillar of the Hall. The ceremony was attended by about 50. Mr Adam Shareef gave the welcome remarks; Dr Mustafa Lutfi spoke on behalf of MNU and Mr Ahmed Qais spoke from the Council. The first phase has a cost of MVR 7.3 m and would take 270 days to complete. The second phase, comprising classrooms and laboratories are to be designed shortly. The pamphlet giving more details distributed at the ceremony is here.
MNU is the largest provider of higher education in the country and has campuses in four regions of the country. A campus in Laamu Atoll is at the conceptual phase.