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A new model of high-value engineering education

Following on from the UK Engineering Report 2016 (and the discussion of same in this forum) and the adequacy or not of current efforts to educate and train, and to encourage the registration of our future engineers, I am intrigued about a “new model in technology and engineering” (NMiTE http://www.nmite.org.uk). It is a new University that is to focus on the teaching of engineering.

In a recent press release, it says:  


“At NMiTE we believe that engineering education can be different.
We’re here to unlock the creativity and drive of Britain’s next generation – the Passioneers – the designers and builders, problem solvers and innovators who will shape our future.


We’re establishing a new model of high-value engineering education:


  • Creating a beacon institution to help address the engineering skills shortage that threatens to hobble the UK’s ability to compete globally.

  • With a new approach to learning – based on real-world problem solving and the blending of high quality engineering, design, liberal arts and humanities with communication and employability skills targeted at the growth sectors of the future.

  • Located on a new and different type of campus – designed for inspiration, collaboration and a deep connection to the global community.

  • And reinforced by an innovation ecosystem of global corporations & SME entrepreneurs, coupled with global universities, not just to invest, but to contribute knowledge and expertise – with New Model students at its centre.

We’re shaping an institution to create and deliver 21st century engineers – catalysts for innovation and change – a new model generation of emotionally intelligent entrepreneurs, innovators, employees and leaders for the future."


Two things strike me as very different about this proposition:

  1. Its motto is “no lectures, no exams, no text books” (!). It plans to be very practically-based, largely conducted within real industry.

Apparently, it will also have no departments, no faculties, no tenure, no Council.  Instead, it’ll have “teaching teams designed around the delivery of our unique engineering and Human Interaction curriculum” (developed by an impressive, international, and overwhelmingly academic array of advisors and partners).


  1. It’s located in the city of Hereford (admittedly partly a personal one as a resident of Herefordshire for over 30 years). 

It is a city by virtue of its cathedral but it is one of the smaller cities in the UK with a population of just over 50k, and is in England's first or second most rural county (depending on how you rank it). Hereford’s engineering heritage is largely unremarkable as it is known more for its agricultural and food output (beef, potatoes, strawberries, apples, cider(!), beer, etc.) and of being home to the UK's elite special forces regiments. It has engineering history in munitions production from during WWII and it's current engineering association is with food production, double-glazing, Morgan chassis and JCB cab manufacture, insulation material forming, and that’s largely it. So, not the most obvious choice to base a new Advanced Engineering University then!


The NMiTE project has been described (The Times 6th Sep 2016) as “at worst an intriguing experiment and at best an innovative template that traditional universities might learn from”.

What do you think?


As an aside, I have seen nothing of NMiTE in these forums or indeed on the IET website – yet, apparently (and quite rightly) the IET has been an advisor/contributor/supporter.


As a footnote, I would very much like to reach out and connect with any IET members/fellows that are/have been involved in NMiTE with a view of my getting involved too.
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member in reply to Chris Pearson
    Let’s get back to Engineering; not Fake Technology; not selling titles
    From experience I can say that people will do anything to protect their status and careers at the expense of others. 

     
    This is what is happening today at IET, the IIE has been discredited and most IIE non electrical members have been forced to leave. It is happening everywhere.

     
    We now have Fake, politicians, supported by Fake journalists, we have Fake science and Fake technology. (Fusion, Vacuum Train, Micro Reactors, and IT gadgets). 
    The IET engineers do not question the validity of what is published in their journal in their name.

     
    We have had three years of presidents that have used IET for their own prestige.
    We have made honorary fellows who used IET for their own prestige.
    One could not explain the difference between power and energy,
    Another used IET to promote Fusion that his university has been financing and promoting for 50 years without ever asking where the true engineering model is.

     
    No one dares to question them; the president went on a world tour promoting what? We are not an enterprise, or are we?
    He came to France and snubbed the French IET Community.

     
    I do not want a Fake PEI that denigrates the back bone of UK Engineering – MIETs IEng.

     
    There are members who stand up and show the truth on matters quoted in the IET Blogs, the WEB allows free speech and allows people to make statements that cannot be validated. A sort of Hyde Park corner.

     
    I simply question what is being reported and call on members to protect their original rights and status.

     
    A close contractor and a later friend said to me :
    “Every man should pass on what he has gained in experience & knowledge to the next generation”. In fact it was Hern JS Bach who wrote a cantata that stated that -  BWV 147 or something like that.

     
    There is a lot of lose talk and no engineering advice in the IET blogs and E&T.
    This is again an English fault first reported by a famous critic -
    "Mere prattle and no practice" [1600 - Bill Shakespeare]

     

    These blogs seem to be mainly interested in promoting CEng (electrical/IT).
    Let’s get back to Engineering

    There are Engineering Communities on our WEB which have some good articles on Electrical or IT technologies.

    Those on general technology are void of viewers and even less commentaries. There are not many subjects outside of Electricity & IT.
    IIE used to have very good articles which I investigated and used in my engineering work.

    I have posted articles on Future Engineering and I have questioned the unsupported non peer review articles.

    Here are a few Fake technology issues:

    If anyone can counteract these facts please speak up?
    Factual references:

     
    FUSION LOBBIES USING E&T and IET

     
            Nuclear Fusion – the Energy for the future?

     
    Dr Melanie Windridge – (Fusion Lobbyist)
    Two meetings at IET on the same date and venue
             UNLOCKING FUSION POWER - HAVE WE FOUND THE KEY
             Fusion Future - Tokamak Energy with Dr Melanie Windridge

     
    FUSION Legal Actions in the UK

     
    Atomic scientist reaches out-of-court settlement with Government after claiming he was sacked to discredit his work which he believes could stop global warming  
    MG sued the UK Atomic Energy Authority after sacking 
    Argued it was because his fusion research found 'solution to global warming'
    'I was invited to come to the UK to do this research, which led to the the UK's own fusion programme.
    Now I've been fired for pursuing this research'
    Employment tribunal ended suddenly today after parties agreed settlement 

     
    UKAEA UK employees and UKAEA Contractors were awarded over £45 Million compensation for positive discrimination in employment contracts by UKAEA and EURATOM.

     
    House of Lords Commission 2015
    Professor Steven Cowley: No. I think we need fusion later in this century.
    What we have now are transitional decarbonising technologies, which are fission and carbon capture and storage. At some point we will have to move on from current technology because we cannot do infinite amounts of carbon capture and storage or fission. By the end of the century we need some technologies to replace them. We have done some fusion at Culham: 16 megawatts of fusion power on JET –(thermal Power 16KWTh). We can make the conditions for fusion. We have to make a step to the scientific demonstration of fusion, but that still is not commercial demonstration of fusion. Whether we can do that in the 2040s or whether it will wait until 2080 is the question.

     
    Lord Peston:
    Did you say between 2040 and 2080, not 2014 and 2018?

     
    Professor Steven Cowley:    ‘’’’2080.

     
    Lord Peston: And you think you can forecast over that timescale?
    I do not know anyone else in the forecasting game who would remotely make a remark like that.
    I speak as someone who used to earn a good living from forecasting.
    -          You are talking about cloud-cuckoo-land, are you not?
    Sorry, Professor Cowley, I am addressing all three of you on this.

     
    WIKIPEDIA –
    As of 2015, Cowley was paid a salary of between £205,000 and £209,999 by the UKAEA, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the UK.

     
    JG : a very good reason for selling Fusion; better than working as an engineer
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

     
    UKAEA refused to recruit any engineers other than CEng I Mech E for Technology  posts.
    Professor Cowley, Honary Fellow IET, has upheld a procedure where his Chief Engineer at CCFE UKAEA pursued a policy of recruiting Mechanical Engineers from his Institute only, the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He also refused to recruit any engineers other than CEng I Mech E for Technology  posts.

     
    JG: I was Engineer in Charge at JET, as a UKAEA employee. I saved the project from failure on five occasions; the CCFE Chief Engineer has exactly the same qualifications with far less experience than I have.
    He is BSc with no Master (CEng). He has no experience outside of UKAEA Fusion. He will not recruit an engineer without a master – hypocrite.

     
    I made the journey to the UK to meet this person, I explained to him that IET was an all round Technology Institute. He agreed to accept IET mechanical engineers but refused to employ non CEng.

     
    As far as employment is concerned the Fusion project of UKAEA has one of the worst employment records in the UK and has paid the highest out of court compensations in the UK.
    The CEO was hauled before the House of Lords to explain his “FAKE” Fusion proclamations . My fitter is brain dead after an unsupervised intervention at JET.
    Prof Cowley Resigned from UKAEA CCFE, IET made him an Honary Fellow.

     
    As far as Fusion is concerned, they have no idea of how to make steam; let alone how to drive an alternator they have no DEMO Model – 2150 is their deadline – too late.

    • The Vacuum train takes how much power to make a vacuum?

    • What batteries for electrical cars, Lithium from the sea?

    • Where does the power come from to charge all those car batteries that replace Petrol engine cars? Etc etc


     
    To show what interest there is in Engineering & Technology at the E&T, just consult the Engineering Communities, those that are not IT or Electrical. 
    Take Future Energy as an example.  
    There are a limited number of sound engineering reports and questions, viewed by a few members and replied to by zero to three members. I find that typical of IET today I find that pathetic..

     
    The IET President 2015, did not know the difference between energy and power, and the Fusion lobby confuse every one with Thermal Power MWTh and Electrical Power MW El,

     
    What hope for Future Energy or Future Engineers in the UK?

     
    Do not count on IET.

     
    Well all those active bloggers that are CEng and better than the back bone Professional Engineer, let’s see your worth, pass on your advice and experience, that is what PEIs are for.
    Print up or *****.

     
    Or have you nothing professional to say.

     
    John Gowman  BA (ex IEng) MIET

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