A consortium formed by Cofely GDF SUEZ and Bouygues Construction, NeoÅ›wiat PPP Projects, has signed a 25-year public-private partnership contract with the Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Poland) for modernization and maintenance of three students houses with sport facilities.

This is the first PPP project in Poland involving a public university and also the first such venture in the public building sector. It was signed on October 14 with the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education.

The purpose of the project is to upgrade three existing dormitories and improve their adjacent sports and leisure facilities (car park, courts and pitches, catering establishments) for more than a thousand students.

The project will be implemented as a PPP, where the private partner's tasks are to design, convert and maintain the Badurskiego Street complex for 25 years. The UJCM will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the complex and obliged to pay remuneration (as an availability fee) to the private partner.

The completion of the entire project is planned for September 2016. Broadway Maylan is responsible for the architectural design and Allen & Overy acted as a legal advisor for the transaction.

Investment costs will come to PLN 80 million (US$28 million, €20 million).