FISU are expected to move into their new Lausanne headquarters early in 2018 ©FISU

The International University Sport Federation (FISU) expect to move into their new headquarters in Lausanne early next year, with the inauguration of the building due to take place in March.

Construction officially began on the project in January, with a centre developed on Dorigny campus at the University of Lausanne.

FISU will move into the building, called the "Synathlon", alongside three organisations who also specialise in promotion, teaching and research in the field of international sport.

Joining FISU in the building will be the Institute of Sports Science of the University of Lausanne, the International Academy for Sports Science and Technology and the Cluster Secretariat of International Sport.

The latter consists of representatives of the Canton of Vaud, the City of Lausanne and the International Olympic Committee.

FISU chief executive and secretary general Eric Saintrond provided an update on the current state of the project, with the estimated cost CHF27 million (£21.5 million/$27.7 million/€23.6 million).

Saintrond informed the Executive Committee that the official inauguration of the headquarters is expected to take place on March 2 and 3 in the Swiss city.

The inauguration would coincide with FISU's next Executive Committee meetings.

FISU secretary general Eric Saintrond provided an update to the Executive Committee on the progress of the headquarters ©FISU
FISU secretary general Eric Saintrond provided an update to the Executive Committee on the progress of the headquarters ©FISU

FISU is currently based at the Maison du Sport International in Lausanne, also home to a number of International Federations and located in close proximity to the headquarters of the IOC.

Saintrond explained that the opening of the headquarters would help to bring FISU under one roof, with the organisation's Brussels office due to close as a result.

Each of the four organisations at the Synathlon building are due to have partitioned work-spaces, offices and small meeting rooms in a peripheral ring.

The central core will feature several collective spaces, with the facility aimed at allowing the bodies to work together on various activities.

On the ground floor there will be a 200 seat auditorium, four classrooms for seminars and a cafe.

FISU will occupy the entire fourth floor and half of the third floor in the four-storey building, with the organisation due to have a space of 1,600 metres squared.

The headquarters will be located at the entrance to the university's campus and opposite the University Institute of Sports Science.

Around CHF15.7 million (£12.5 million/$16.1 million/€13.7 million) of the overall cost is being covered by the State of Vaud.