Student conducting observation on device in Technology Facilities

The funding will be used for new equipment, laboratories and simulated learning environments.

8 December 2022

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Faculty of Technology Cosmology and astrophysics Engineering Developing Enhanced Technologies

The ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï has been successful in its bid for £5.8m to transform its Faculty of Technology facilities. 

The funding will be used for new equipment, laboratories and simulated learning environments, including a ‘clean room’ for space applications and advanced renewable energy equipment to prepare the next generation of engineers and technicians.

It has been awarded by the Office for Students (OfS), which is providing millions in capital funding to support investment in new buildings, facilities and equipment for universities and colleges across England.

Executive Dean of the Faculty of Technology, Professor Djamel Ait-Boudaoud, said: “This investment will support curriculum redesign, teaching innovation and student growth, responding to national and regional skills needs in key sectors of the UK economy.

“We pride ourselves on offering students real and simulated learning opportunities, allowing them to develop skills in a safe and supported learning environment. This experience is crucial to ensure our students can go out and get fantastic jobs after graduation.â€

The funding will also support the transformation and expansion of engineering and related physics provision through creation of a Future Systems Engineering facility (FUSE), as well as being used to repurpose existing space. 

This very significant success is a great example of collaboration at the University. I am very much looking forward to the next steps as we make this vision a reality.

Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor

Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Galbraith added: “I am excited about this outcome as it gives us a real opportunity to support transformation in the Faculty of Technology, responding to employer skills needs and integrating research strengths into curriculum development. This includes world-leading research by our Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, which was ranked 6th out of 44 institutions in Physics across the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. 

“This very significant success is a great example of collaboration at the University. I am very much looking forward to the next steps as we make this vision a reality.â€

This latest OfS investment follows significant recent investment in University facilities:

  • In September 2022, the opened. The Centre is one of the UK’s most sustainable sports centres and includes a host of high quality facilities including an eight lane 25m swimming pool, 175 station fitness suite, a climbing and bouldering wall and a ski simulator.
  • The Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Realities (CCIXR), the UK’s first purpose-built facility to bring together a whole suite of the very latest XR technologies under one roof to support innovation in virtual, augmented and extended realities, opened in May 2022. 
  • In December 2021, the University was awarded £2m to expand its healthcare simulation facilities to enhance the learning of over 2,000 students.