Advanced engineering centre coming to Brighton

The centre has been backed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) which this week announced £5m funding towards the project.

The centre will provide cutting-edge facilities for mechanical, automotive and aerospace engineering to educate the next generation of professional engineers.

The centre will incorporate the university’s Centre for Excellence in Internal Combustion Research which earlier this year received £7m government backing. This Centre of Excellence is being established in partnership with Shoreham-based Ricardo, world leaders in technical and environmental consultancy and specialising in the development of low carbon vehicle technology. Joint collaborative projects include the search for the near-zero emissions internal combustion engine.

The Advanced Engineering Centre is integral to the university’s £150m redevelopment scheme for its Moulsecoomb campus which includes Preston Barracks, a partnership scheme between the university and Brighton & Hove City Council.

Artist’s impression of the new Advanced Engineering Centre in Lewes Road, Moulsecoomb, courtesy of www.hassellstudio.com

Professor Andrew Lloyd, Dean of the university’s College of Life, Health and Physical Sciences, said: “We are delighted with the news that HEFCE will provide £5m towards this new facility to complement the university’s ongoing investment to support the expansion of engineering at Brighton. This will allow us to establish world-class specialist teaching facilities alongside the state-of-the-art research base we are establishing with our long term partner Ricardo.

“These facilities will provide a unique opportunity for our undergraduate and postgraduate students to study alongside our researchers and engineers from Ricardo and undertake industrially relevant projects at the forefront of engineering within the research facilities.

“In addition to inspiring more young people to study STEM subjects, we aim to support their transition from education to employment through our career-focussed approach to learning in this new and exciting educational environment.”

The Advanced Engineering Centre, based on the university’s Moulsecoomb campus, will include new and refurbished accommodation and facilities for high tech, design-led manufacturing to support other companies in the region. Work is expected to start in June next year, for completion in November 2016.

In addition, the university is co-sponsoring a £12m University Technical College (UTC) being established in Newhaven. It will offer 14 to 18-year-olds academic and technical education in science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM), with a focus on the specialist skills in demand by the growing marine engineering and environmental technology sectors in the region.

The university’s £5m is part of £200m HEFCE funding to support STEM students.

Madeleine Atkins, HEFCE’s Chief Executive, said: “This is badly needed by universities and colleges to meet the increased interest in science and engineering. It will also ensure that students benefit from state-of-the-art equipment and laboratories, and are thereby equipped for the workplace of the 21st century.”

Vince Cable, Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: “Inspiring young people to take up STEM courses is vital to the success of the UK economy. This investment will mean world-class teaching facilities to build tomorrow's skilled workforce. It's just one way we are ensuring the UK remains a world leader in science and research, as set out in this week's Science and Innovation strategy.”