Ashley 2 Simulation

Transforming our Ashley 2 building with over £2.2m investment in new, state-of-the-art simulation facilities to bring crime scene to courtroom in one building.

Project Summary

Project: Ashley 2 Simulation Suite
Project Location: Leek Road site, Stoke-on-Trent
Project Value: £2.2m
Project Start Date: August 2023
Project Status: Complete

Project Story

From crime scene to courtroom in one building. This £2.2m project saw existing spaces within Ashley 2 transformed as well as new spaces created in the atrium area.

Some of the teaching and learning spaces are completely immersive, some use augmented reality (AR), and others provide simulation rooms that replicate the environments that students will experience in their career such as a bedsit, shop, bedrooms, bathroom, office, custody suite, and prison cell.

Key Features

  • 12 new simulation facilities including 2 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, 1 bathroom, 1 bedsit (consisting of living room – kitchen – diner, bedroom and bathroom), 1 office, 1 custody suite, 1 prison cell, 1 shop, an observation room and digital law court.
  • External facilities including an accessibility path, external car port and storage facilities.

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What this means for the student experience

Forensics

  • Learn and train in a simmersive environment, developing your skills for the range of different scenarios you may face in your career.
  • Explore how to document, interact with and triage a variety of digital exhibits found at modern crime scenes, such as phones, computers and smart home technology.
  • Process crime scenes in realistic settings, collecting and packaging items for further forensic investigation.
  • Record interactions with each simulation environment, for feedback and training, supporting your professional development.

Policing and Criminology

  • Experience different crime scenes, interact with and interview a variety of victims, witnesses and complainants.
  • Apply laws, practices and procedures in a realistic environment.
  • Follow cases through from crime scene to court in our digital law court.
  • Collaborate with fellow aspiring emergency services students in our simulation spaces.

Law

  • Develop your legal communication skills in our courtrooms.
  • Learn how to present complex legal cases persuasively on the Mooting option module and in competitions.
  • Take part in Advocacy Masterclasses, and get a head start for your law professional qualifications.
  • On our Bar pathway (or by taking an optional module) gain confidence in making court submissions about the admissibility of Evidence to a Judge or Magistrates.

A simulation space dressed as a mock living space environment

A simulation space dressed as a mock prison cell

A crime scene simulation area

A crime scene simulation area

A crime scene simulation area

An office

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

Top 5 for Social Inclusion

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

for First Generation Students

The Mail University Guide 2025

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021