Watson, Farley & Williams (“WFW”), a leading international law firm, is pleased to announce that it has advised Eiffage, Orange, Caisse des dépôts et consignations, FIDEPPP2, Crédit Foncier de France and Caisse d’Epargne Bretagne Pays-de-Loire on the on the creation of UEB C@mpus, the first digital multi-site campus in Europe.

WFW advised the winning bidder and the lenders on a range of legal issues including the public law aspects and the project documentation.

UEB C@mpus is a new and innovative campus model aimed at solving the problem of the distance between the various university campuses as well as being the forerunner of a new method of teaching thanks in particular to the setting up of the collaborative communications hub. This pilot scheme will be the first digital multi-site campus in Europe allowing all the universities in Brittany to connect to each other and, as early as 2016, should enable a network of 72,000 students, 8,900 teachers/researchers, 28 teaching and research establishments and 419 laboratories to be set up.

Breizh Connect, whose shareholders include construction company Eiffage, Orange, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations and FIDEPPP2, won the bid and entered into a partnership agreement on 25 November 2013 with the European University of Brittany for the design, financing, construction, care and maintenance of four buildings and a collaborative communications hub to be used for the UEB C@mpus project.

The cost of the project, at approximately €40 million, is to be partly met by a loan to Breizh Connect from Crédit Foncier de France and  Caisse d’Épargne Bretagne Pays-de-Loire to cover the design and construction costs. The digital design and construction costs will be covered by a grant from the Brittany Region. The Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations will help ensure part of the project’s refinancing once the buildings become operational.

For the successful bidder, WFW Paris partner Emmanuel Paillard advised on the public law aspects and project documentation, and was supported by senior associate Julie Vuagnoux. Partner and Head of WFW Paris Laurence Martinez-Bellet advised on the financial aspects, supported by associate Olivier Challine.

For the lenders, partner Eric Villateau and associate Jean-François Tournier advised on the financial issues while partner Jérôme Pentecoste and associate Julien Moiroux acted on the public law aspects and the project documentation.