£1.7 million awarded to 28 projects to develop engineering and computer science conversion courses

Tuesday 15 Mar 2016 @ 09:05
Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE)

A total of 28 projects, involving 32 universities and colleges, will receive £1.7 million to develop a range of engineering and computer science conversion courses.

These will allow those who have undertaken previous study in other subjects to transition to careers in these areas. The new courses which will start in 2016-17 will train a total of up to 1,500 students in the first two years of delivery. The announcement coincides with British Science Week, the annual celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths.

Demand for graduates in engineering, data science, cybersecurity, and software engineering is growing in the economy. Providing graduates in other subjects with the opportunity to study and work in these areas will allow them to develop their careers, and increase the supply of skilled practitioners.

The courses will provide a range of opportunities for graduates across England to convert to these subjects, while undertaking study delivered in a variety of different models.

Professor Madeleine Atkins, HEFCE Chief Executive, said:

‘Professional engineers and their skills are required throughout the economy, in a wide range of industries and in a variety of roles. It is widely accepted that it would benefit the economy to increase the supply of engineers. Engineering businesses face challenges in recruiting new engineers as new roles are created and the existing workforce retires. In addition, there is ever growing demand for those trained in data science, cybersecurity, and software engineering. By supporting innovative course developments in universities and colleges, these awards will open up careers in these areas to a wider range of graduates, benefiting both students and employers in key sectors such as manufacturing, food and agri-tech, data science, and energy.’

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson said:

‘Scientists, engineers and mathematicians are all vital to driving innovation, and fuelling economic growth. This investment will help over 1,500 graduates to retrain in these crucial STEM subjects, and is part of our commitment to people waiting to gain new skills at all stages in life. These courses will open up a rewarding career in exciting industries, and provide much needed skills to UK businesses.’

Evaluation of the scheme and the funded courses will take place over the next year while the courses are being delivered, and key lessons will be shared with the sector.

STEM reviews

This scheme complements two reviews investigating employment outcomes for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. These reviews were commissioned by the Government following the release of its Science and Innovation Strategy, and are due to report in due course.

While one of the reviews is looking in more depth at the outcomes of graduates from computer sciences, the other will consider employment outcomes for the rest of STEM. The evaluation from the engineering conversion programme will therefore help to inform any actions arising from these two reviews.

The following universities will receive funding to develop courses:

Institution Name	Course
Anglia Ruskin University	MSc Additive and Hybrid Manufacturing
Aston University	MSc Computer Science
Birkbeck, University of London	MSc Data Science
University of Chester	MSc Cybersecurity
Coventry University	MSc Industrial Automation and Digital Technology
University of Derby	MSc Advanced Materials and Additive Manufacturing Engineering
University of Exeter	MSc Civil Engineering; MSc Water Engineering; MSc Structural Engineering ('with management' variations of these three)
University of Greenwich	MSc Cyber Security Engineering
Harper Adams University	MSc Automotive Engineering (Off Highway); MSc Agricultural Engineering (Mobile Machinery)
University of Hertfordshire	Single Award in General Engineering Transition Masters MSc (with options – Mechanical, Aero, Auto and Electronic and Electrical)
University of Hull, working with Grimsby Institute, North Lindsey College, and Selby College.	MSc Energy Technologies: Electronic Engineering; MSc Energy Technologies: Mechanical Engineering; MSc Energy Technologies: Chemical Engineering
Keele University	MSc Engineering Design
University of Kent, working with University of Bath	MSc Embedded Communications Engineering; MSc Integrated Circuit Design Engineering
Manchester Metropolitan University	MSc Rail Engineering; MSc Automotive Engineering; MSc Nuclear Engineering
Middlesex University	MSc Mechatronic Systems Engineering
University of Portsmouth	MSc Medical Technology
Queen Mary, University of London	MSc Biomedical Engineering; MSc Electrical and Electronic Engineering; MSc Sustainable Energy Engineering; MSc Big Data Science
University of Salford	MSc Data Science (conversion)
University of Sheffield	MSc Data Analytics; MSc Advanced Materials Manufacturing; MSc Advanced Control and Systems Engineering
Sheffield Hallam University	MSc Mechanical Engineering; MSc Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University of Southampton	Data science conversion courses for subjects that do not have a computing background, piloting in Chemistry; Physics; Management; and Health Sciences
Southampton Solent University	MSc Computer Engineering; MSc Data Analytics Engineering; MSc Cyber Security Engineering
Staffordshire University	MSc Mechanical Engineering; MSc Electrical Engineering
University of Sunderland	MSc Manufacturing Engineering
University of Sussex	MSc Robotics and Autonomous Systems (with industrial placement option)
Teesside University, working with Sheffield Hallam University	MSc Food Processing Engineering
University of the West of England, Bristol	MSc Building Services Engineering 'Professional Alignment' Award
University of Westminster	MSc Electrical Engineering for Modern Sustainable Transport Systems; Higher Apprenticeship Electrical Engineering for Modern Sustainable Transport Systems

Notes

After signalling this intention in the December 2014 Science and Innovation Strategy, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills made funding available in January 2015 to develop of a number of engineering conversion courses in England during the following two years. Additional funding was made available by the Digital Economy Unit at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to develop a number of computer science conversion courses, in particular those focussing on data science, cyber security, and software engineering. The engineering conversion course pilot scheme and its computer science stream of funding were developed alongside the Shadbolt and Wakeham reviews of science, technology, engineering and mathematics provision.

Channel website: http://www.hefce.ac.uk

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