WORK on a BD100 million ($265 million) expansion of the Bahrain Polytechnic is expected to start in January 2012, it has been revealed.

The 10-year development involves taking over and rebuilding the entire former Bahrain University campus at Isa Town – to cater for thousands of more students.
Bahrain Polytechnic chief executive officer John Scott said that the expansion was vital to continue the remarkable growth of the institution, since its opening in September 2008.
“We are looking at an expected growth of 5,000 to 7,000 students over the next decade and land is already at a premium,” he said. The polytechnic currently has 931 students and expects this to increase to around 1,600 next semester.
Currently, the institution occupies a small precinct within the 23-hectare university site. Initially, all the funding for the project will be provided by the government, although the polytechnic does have a brief to engage with industry and acquire income for various aspects of the development.
“Central to this, is building on the campus’ extensive car-parks, which we will compensate for by constructing multi-storey car parks,” Scott said.
Plans are in the masterplan stage, which is being handled by international architecture firm Aedas, which was appointed in a deal worth BD300,581 ($796,539).