£500,000 investment in engineering facilities

The new facilities are being created over the summer at the Telford Innovation Campus for the new academic year starting in October 2014.

Existing laboratories and workshops will be transformed and refurbished, and new engineering laboratories will be created, to support engineering courses and to enable students to take part in extra-curricular activities. These will include national and international challenge events such as Formula Student, Human Powered Flight and Engineers without Borders.

The new workshops will include two car bays, benches and professional tools to support the Formula Student competition and to set-up a racing car that students will pit-crew at racing events. There will also be a large new computer suite.

The University is also developing a range of new undergraduate courses in Automotive Engineering, Motorsports, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, Aeronautics, Chemical Engineering, and Electrical, Electronics and Telecommunications.

These new courses, which will be available for the 2015/16 academic year, have been identified as areas of growing demand among students and industry.

Future plans at the Telford Innovation Campus include building expansion with further investment in facilities and equipment, and providing shared space for work with businesses, zoned workspaces for students, new exhibition and display areas and revamped communal and refreshment areas.

Dr Paul Lister, Head of Engineering in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: “The new courses and improved facilities are to meet increasing demand for skilled engineering graduates. The region’s economy is experiencing a resurgence, exemplified by the Jaguar Land Rover and i54 developments, and we want to ensure our graduates are equipped with the right skills and experience to meet the needs of industry.

“We are also providing progression to higher education for students in schools, academies and University Technical Colleges (UTCs) in the region that specialise in engineering.

“Our vision and long term aim is to work with high value manufacturing businesses in shared space at the Campus and ensure we maintain and further develop our links with the chemical, aerospace and automotive companies working collaboratively with our stakeholders and partners. With its strong industrial heritage, Telford is the perfect location for our plans to enhance our engineering courses and facilities.”

The refurbishment is taking place over the summer, and the specialist engineering equipment will be commissioned and installed by Christmas 2014.

ENDS

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736.

Date Issued: Monday, 18 August 2014