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: 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). 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 6 th 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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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:

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).

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 6^th 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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0 Andy Millar over 7 years ago

I'd add another factor for the UK, which is the collapse of large engineering companies. I was offered an undergraduate apprenticeship in the late '70s by Thorn and Marconi (although I actually took up a third offer). Both could churn through large numbers of apprentices, Marconi in particular were renowned for starting a huge number of my generation on their career - even if they did leave the moment their apprenticeship was over to earn more money! Similarly my post grad training was at the BBC, who again in the early 80s had enough staff that they could train large numbers of engineers, sadly I was in the last cohort before they halved the number of in-house engineers they had.

An unintended outcome of the joint effects of outsourcing manufacturing and the break up of conglomerates is that there seems to be far fewer locations in the UK which can both provide a meaningful experience for school leavers and provide staff to supervise them in an engineering environment.

It's a challenge, and I very fully agree that we need to accept that it's a challenge. We can't ressurect what we used to do because the world's changed. Personally, I rather like the idea (I can't remember where I came across this) that apprentices are attached to FE/HE colleges rather than companies. They can then be circulated around different companies, small as well as large(ish), and hence obtain different skills, without placing an impossible burden on employers. But this does need colleges to genuinly engage with employers (and vice versa) for this to work.

As an aside, I would put a slight caveat on this, just to mention that there are engineering activities where a very high level of mathematical and conceptual (and state-of-the-art) knowledge is required, and hence where a pure school/university/PhD/post-doc path is invaluable. I would suggest that if you want a really strong innovation team then a mix of engineers of practical and theoretical backgrounds - who all respect each others capabilities - is the best of all possible worlds. (Just as a team needs a mixture of innovators and finishers, indeed mixtures of a whole range of skills.) The underlined words are the key! I very strongly believe that a successful engineering community needs a wide range of different routes in and up, so we can build the multi talented teams we need. Luckily we've got it in principle in the UK, but in practice getting on the apprentice route is far too challenging for the people we need and who want to do it.

Cheers, Andy
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0 Andy Millar over 7 years ago

I'd add another factor for the UK, which is the collapse of large engineering companies. I was offered an undergraduate apprenticeship in the late '70s by Thorn and Marconi (although I actually took up a third offer). Both could churn through large numbers of apprentices, Marconi in particular were renowned for starting a huge number of my generation on their career - even if they did leave the moment their apprenticeship was over to earn more money! Similarly my post grad training was at the BBC, who again in the early 80s had enough staff that they could train large numbers of engineers, sadly I was in the last cohort before they halved the number of in-house engineers they had.

An unintended outcome of the joint effects of outsourcing manufacturing and the break up of conglomerates is that there seems to be far fewer locations in the UK which can both provide a meaningful experience for school leavers and provide staff to supervise them in an engineering environment.

It's a challenge, and I very fully agree that we need to accept that it's a challenge. We can't ressurect what we used to do because the world's changed. Personally, I rather like the idea (I can't remember where I came across this) that apprentices are attached to FE/HE colleges rather than companies. They can then be circulated around different companies, small as well as large(ish), and hence obtain different skills, without placing an impossible burden on employers. But this does need colleges to genuinly engage with employers (and vice versa) for this to work.

As an aside, I would put a slight caveat on this, just to mention that there are engineering activities where a very high level of mathematical and conceptual (and state-of-the-art) knowledge is required, and hence where a pure school/university/PhD/post-doc path is invaluable. I would suggest that if you want a really strong innovation team then a mix of engineers of practical and theoretical backgrounds - who all respect each others capabilities - is the best of all possible worlds. (Just as a team needs a mixture of innovators and finishers, indeed mixtures of a whole range of skills.) The underlined words are the key! I very strongly believe that a successful engineering community needs a wide range of different routes in and up, so we can build the multi talented teams we need. Luckily we've got it in principle in the UK, but in practice getting on the apprentice route is far too challenging for the people we need and who want to do it.

Cheers, Andy
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A new model of high-value engineering education

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