Articles
Parliamentary and Scientific Committee lunch - a report and a personal view from incoming EPC President Professor Stephanie Haywood
I was delighted to attend the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee's annual lunch at the House of Lords on behalf of the EPC on 26th November. We were wondering why security...
MSc Aerospace bursaries
The AeroMSc bursary scheme pays tuition fees for MScs in aerospace for study starting next academic year 2015-16. Applications are open now at www.raeng.org.uk/aeromsc. Please make your eligible STEM...
Perkins Review One Year On Report launched at Tomorrow's Engineers Week 2104
An impressive group gathered at Shell UK's London headquarters this morning (3rd November, 2014) to launch Tomorrow's Engineers week 2014. Erik Bonino, Chairman of Shell UK (pictured here) and Vince Cable...
The Universe of Engineering - call to action
October, 2014. The Royal Academy of Engineering has published its report: The Universe of Engineering - a call to action. The engineering profession has undergone profound changes over the past...
Engineering Professors' Council Patron receives prestigious award
Congratulations to Professor Dame Julia King, Vice Chancellor of Aston University and Patron of the Engineering Professors’ Council on the award of the Leonardo da Vinci Medal by the European...
Perkins Review - university-business interaction survey...please help...
The Perkins Review's Task and Finish Group on developing university-business interaction led by Professor Julia King FREng is examining how relationships might be developed to even better ensure that students are equipped...
Professor John Perkins' Review of Engineering Skills
Professor John Perkins FREng is the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). His Review of Engineering Skills was published in November, 2013. The review endorses the...
Lords express disappointment as Government rejects Committee's findings on immigration policies
Earlier this year, the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee conducted an inquiry into the impact of the changes to immigration regulations on international STEM students. As a...
The Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC) welcomes the appointment of Greg Clark MP as Minister for Universities, Science and Cities
The Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC) welcomes the appointment of Greg Clark MP as Minister for Universities, Science and Cities Professor Simon Hodgson, President of the EPC, said: "We’re looking forward...
RAEng-EPSRC study on assessing the economic returns to the UK of investment in engineering research and associated training
In the spirit of evidence-based policy development, the RAEng and the EPSRC have joined forces in a project chaired by Professor John Fisher CBE FREng, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University...
Engineers can become talented maths teachers...and support the profession of Engineering...and can earn £25k while they train
Mathematics is an essential component of an engineering education. In the past, a number of engineering students have found the application of mathematics to what is an essentially practical subject,...
New discussion board for Recruitment Working Group
If you wish to start a thread, please contact Sue Kay (s.kay@epc.ac.uk).
Guardian league tables out today - how did you do?
Engineering - chemical Engineering - civil Engineering - electronic and electrical Engineering- general Engineering-materials and mineral Engineering - mechanical ...remember, this one doesn't include any research metrics - it includes...
Reports available from Excellence in Postgraduate Education: Manufacturing, Materials and Design event
Dear All, Thank you to those of you who attended the Excellence in Postgraduate Education: Manufacturing, Materials and Design event on 8th May. Key findings from the presentations and discussions...
EPC responds to "Engineering graduates have been taught to pass exams rather than being given useful skills" criticism
Not sure how many of you picked up the story on the BBC today: Engineering group warns on skills shortage... We know a few did because some members were perturbed...
Engaging in Engineering awards 2014
As one of the initiatives to celebrate its 20th Anniversary in its current form, the Engineering Professors’ Council offered its members the opportunity to bid for funding for public engagement projects which: help share...
House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee’s inquiry into international STEM students
The Engineering Professors’ Council welcomes the conclusions of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee Inquiry into international STEM students. The Council presented strong evidence, both oral and written,...
Laura Pickard
Laura Pickard is a first year EngD candidate at the University of Bristol and National Composites Centre and captured first prize in our 2014 student essay competition. Her background is in physics, most recently...
Julia Attwood
Julia Attwood is an PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge and received one of the two runner-up prizes in our 2014 student essay competition. Born in Canada, Julia has...
Highly commended
We were delighted by the response we received to the competition which was exceedingly challenging - in terms of volume - but enjoyable to judge. In addition to our three...
Eleanor Earl
Eleanor Earl is an MEng candidate at Cardiff University and was awarded one of the two runner-up prizes in our 2014 student essay competition. Originally from Sussex, Eleanor is in...
2014 Engineering Professors' Council and Hammermen of Glasgow Student Awards - winners
To mark its 20th year (in its current incarnation), the Engineering Professors' Council decided to inaugurate a new student award. We were delighted to be supported by the Incorporation of...
Should we be paying more attention to conversion rather than recruitment?
Interesting report published today by the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB): Career Portfolios and the Labour Market for Graduates and Postgraduates in the UK’. It's the first in...
House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee's inquiry into Business-University collaboration
The House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee has announced a new inquiry into Business-University collaboration. On 28 January 2014, the Committee held a one-off evidence session on Fraunhofer...
Engineering Professors' Council position statement on Maths and Further Maths A level reform
The Engineering Professors' Council-chaired Mathematics Working Group has just published its position statement on Maths and Further Maths A level reform. Do let us have your views... MATHEMATICS AND...
Review of UK-SPEC completed
The new edition of UK-SPEC is now available the Engineering Council’s website and can be accessed via: https://www.engc.org.uk/engcdocuments/internet/website/UK-SPEC%20third%20edition%20(1).pdf In keeping with the strong support for the previous edition, unnecessary changes...
Do YOU think your university values engineering...?
Nearly two thirds of staff said they did in the survey carried out by the Times Higher Education and published on 30 January, 2014. In fact, engineering and technology did...
Dr Robin Mellors-Bourne
Robin joined CRAC in 2004 as Commercial & Business Development Director, and has led several of its business functions prior to his current role as Director of Research & Intelligence....
Dr David Docherty
David Docherty is Chief Executive of the National Centre for Universities and Business, and Chairman of the Digital Television Group, the industry body for digital television in the UK. He...
Professor Peter Goodhew FREng
Peter Goodhew was elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2002 where he Chairs the Visiting Professors' Scheme. His research has centred on transmission electron microscopy and he...
The Incorporation of Hammermen of Glasgow
The Incorporation of Hammermen of Glasgow are generously supporting our student competition: the Engineering Professors' Council and The Hammermen of Glasgow Student Awards. The Incorporation of Hammermen of Glasgow originally...
Sir John Parker GBE FREng
President of The Royal Academy of Engineering 2011 - present Sir John Parker has chaired five FTSE100 companies, including National Grid, from which he stepped down in December 2011, and...
Professor John Perkins CBE FREng
Professor Perkins is the Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills; he took up this appointment in January 2012. Prior to this he was Provost at...
Top tips for understanding engineering research...
Did anyone see the article “Twenty tips for interpreting scientific claims” in Nature in November (by William J. Sutherland, David Spiegelhalter and Mark Burgman)? It claimed that “this list will...
The role of teaching excellence and industry and societal impact work on academic selection and promotion
Do you have an opinion on this? Here's your chance to have your say. The Royal Academy of Engineering, supported by the EPC, is conducting a study which is looking...
UK engineering giants collaborate to support economic growth
Leading technology businesses, engineering bodies, and the government are to collaborate on a campaign to support growth in UK engineering businesses and promote engineering careers. Engineering for Growth is a partner...
Subject Benchmark Review 2013-15
The subject benchmark statement for engineering was last revised in November 2010, replacing the previous version published in June 2006. In order to ensure the continuing currency of subject benchmark...
Fellowships for Growth: Building UK Leadership in Engineering
Professor John Perkins’ review of engineering skills has now been published. He endorsed the widely accepted view that engineers add flexibility and resilience to our economy, enable people to take advantage of...
Doubling capacity in UK HE engineering departments
Thanks to the very many of you who took time out to respond to the question posed to us by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) through our...
Engineering Council: Accreditation of HE Programmes (AHEP) review - opportunity to contribute
During 2013, the Engineering Council is undertaking the periodic five year review of several key documents including The Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes (AHEP). We consulted initially on this AHEP review...
Different approaches to engineering doctorates across Europe
Our "roving reporter" and Chair of the Engineering Education, Employability and Skills sub Committee at the EPC, Clive Neal-Sturgess has been on the road again. This time, he was representing...
Our patrons and previous presidents
Dates of previous presidents, Congress venues and President's Prize winners: Date President Congress venue President's Prize Winner 2001-03 Professor Bill Banks 2001 - Strathclyde 2002 - Durham 2003-05 Prof F...
Witty Review published
The final report of The Witty Review of universities and economic growth has been published this week, following preliminary findings earlier in the year. The independent review, headed by Sir...
EPC welcomes capital funding for science and engineering
We welcome the announcement by David Willetts on 30 September that £400 million will be invested in higher education science and engineering teaching facilities, including £200 million by HEFCE in...
Should "engineer" be a protected title?
...this seems to be a question that's come up a lot recently. During 2011 the Board of the Engineering Council established a working group to consider issues relating to the status...
20th Anniversary Awards 2014
In 2014, the Engineering Professors' Council (EPC) will be celebrating 20 years since the joining together of the Engineering Professors’ Conference and the Committee for Engineering in Polytechnics in 1994....
The AQA A level science HE Expert Panel
Just a quick update on the work of one of our new Committee members, Mike Bramhall, on behalf of the Engineering Professors' Council.... The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) has...
Feedback to members of our input to CaSE meeting with Science Minister
The Campaign for Science and Engineering, of which EPC is a subscribing member, met recently with David Willetts, having collated input from its members. Here is their summary of the...
BIS announces "investment in postgraduate study"
£75 million investment in removing barriers to postgraduate study Students from disadvantaged backgrounds will be supported in postgraduate study with up to £125 million of extra funding, Universities and Science...
Universities UK International Conference: report from EPC Chair of EEES working group
Our "roving reporter" Professor Clive Neal-Sturgess reports from the International Conference held at UUK last week. Well, the headline was that Europe is "back on the agenda" with the UK so heavily...
Cranfield University
Disciplines Research Aircraft Design Group Advanced computational methods and simulations Engineering Design Group Airborne vehicles and systems Space Research...
Brunel University
Disciplines Research Aeronautical Engineering None Windtunnel/FEA/CFD Research More information coming soon
New Committee members 2013/14
We are delighted to welcome three new faces to the EPC Committee for 2013/14. Professors Mike Bramhall and Colin Turner join us as elected members and Professor Peter Excell...
Letter on student number controls for 2014-15
HEFCE has received a letter from the Minister for Universities and Science, requesting that it considers increasing the flexibility of recruitment in 2014-15 for institutions that show strong recruitment patterns....
PHEE
A forum for academic leaders in electrical engineering and allied technologies Professors and Heads of Electrical Engineering (PHEE) is a Sectoral Group of the Engineering Professors' Council (EPC). Its aim is to...
Gove launches technology focused Tech-bacc as vocational equivalent to A levels
Michael Gove has announced the technical baccalaureate qualification “providing an alternative to the A level study route for post-16 education”. It will be introduced for courses beginning in September 2014,...
Report on Government spending on science...
While we all welcome the additional funding announced for science and engineering when other Government departments are seeing cuts, CaSE have published an interim analysis of Government spending on science since...
David Willetts' speech to HEFCE Conference
David Willetts: Higher Education Funding Council for England 2013 HEFCE 18 April 2013 Speech Originally given at Imperial College London. You don’t need me to tell you that this year...
New report published: The Dual Funding Structure for Research in the UK: Research Council and Funding Council Allocation Methods and the Pathways to Impact of UK Academics
Commissioned by the DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS INNOVATION AND SKILLS (BIS) and carried out by THE CENTRE FOR BUSINESS RESEARCH (CBR) AND THE UK INNOVATION RESEARCH CENTRE (UK~IRC), this report analyses...
Why we MUST change the new Design and Technology programme of study...
The Government's proposed draft Design and Technology programme of study would be a huge backward step for a subject that develops vital skills that young people need for the future....
David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, announces £47 million worth of funding for engineering projects
Announced at the Global Grand Challenges Summit (GGCS), organised by the Royal Academy of Engineering and its American and Chinese counterparts, in London on 12/13 March, five Frontier Engineering projects...
BIS Report on Progression of Apprentices to Higher Education February 2013
BIS Research paper number 107 In New Challenges, New Chances (BIS, Dec 2011) the Government clearly laid out its intention to provide a “ladder of opportunity” through apprenticeships to “clear...
Engineering Council guidance for KIS statements
The Engineering Council, with the support of the EPC, has been undertaking work to help universities make the most of the advantages afforded by promoting the accredited status of their...
HEFCE support for very high cost subjects
Since 2007 HEFCE has provided funding to help secure the provision of four very high-cost STEM subjects: chemistry, physics, chemical engineering and mineral, metallurgy and materials engineering. In the new funding method from...
Immigration policy
More on the immigration policy debate The OBHE's January newsletter highlights its new report: The Global Race for STEM skills. It reminds us that the sector often appears to lobby for change...
"Cameron visit (to India) did not tackle key higher education issues"
From University World News: Issue 260 published 20 February, 2013 The visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron to India this week has left Indian students disappointed that he did...
Professor Helen Higson OBE
Professor Helen Higson is Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Aston. She graduated from Newnham College Cambridge, and subsequently gained an MA from the Open University and a PhD from Birkbeck College, London...
Election of SEFI President
We are delighted to announce that EPC Committee member, Professor Kamel Hawwash (University of Birmingham) has been elected Vice President and President Elect of the European Society of Engineering Education (SEFI). SEFI...
REF 2014
UK higher education institutions (HEIs) plan to submit the work of a slightly increased number of their staff for assessment in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), compared with the...
HEFCE Grant Letter 2013/14
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Minister for Universities and Science have has now confirmed funding allocations and the Government’s priorities for higher education...
IMechE scholarships and studentships
Institution of Mechanical Engineers Each year, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) supports the educational and development needs of students and graduates with scholarships and awards totalling £400,000. This includes...
Engineering UK: the state of engineering 2013
Engineering UK Engineering UK's annual flagship report Engineering UK: the state of engineering 2013 was launched on 3rd December. It projects that engineering companies will have 2.74 million job openings from 2010...
End of term reports
End of term reports... UCAS has published its end of cycle report for 2012, the year which its Chief Executive Mary Curnock Cook called "one of the most complex and challenging years...
Ideas for student projects
Check out Bespoken from the Blackwood Foundation for details of how to get involved in its Design Challenge. Brunel, Coventry and Loughborough Universities are already involved and it's a good source of...
HESA to make REF-eligible staff statistics available...
Times Higher Education 9 January, 2013 The proportion of staff submitted by each unit of assessment to the 2014 research excellence framework will become clear for the first time after...
Chancellor's Autumn Statement
While we welcome the additional funding announced for science and engineering in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, CaSE have published an interim analysis of Government spending on science since the 2010 Spending...
Improving the employment chances of our graduates
With Engineering UK's forecast that we need to nearly double the number of engineering graduates to meet demand from employers in the near term (more of which below), do take...
Welcome boost for science and engineering...but some concerns
Chancellor George Osborne has announced a £600M injection into the UK's scientific research infrastructure in his Autumn Statement. The money is directed at eight strands of research outlined by the...
Funding opportunities
[wptabs] [wptabtitle]For HEIs/academic staff[/wptabtitle] [wptabcontent] 30 November, 2012 Higher education’s contribution to economic growth: Invitation to submit expressions of interest for funding through the Catalyst Fund. Deadline 24 January 2013. ...
Impact acceleration accounts
15 November, 2012 Business Secretary Vince Cable today announced a £60m investment in UK universities to help our most pioneering scientists and engineers create successful businesses from their research, improve...
House of Lords Science and Technology committee: Higher Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects Report
In December 2011, The House of Lords Science and Technology Sub-Committee, under the chairmanship of Lord Willis of Knaresborough, opened an inquiry into higher education in STEM subjects (science, technology,...
A level reform
The Engineering Professors' Council response was one of the almost 1,000 submissions to this consultation which ran for 3 months over the summer of this year. The summary report of...
The Future of Postgraduate Education
Westminster Higher Education Forum 17 October 2012: The Future for Postgraduate Education There is clearly widespread concern about the lack of progress on funding for postgraduate education. On 17th October,...
Osborne support for new vocational qualifications
Published: 12:10am, 2nd November 2012 Updated: 11:07am, 2nd November 2012 New vocational qualifications in engineering will help Britain thrive in the global economy, Chancellor George Osborne has said. The Royal...
House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee - oral evidence on engineering skills
On 24th October 2012, the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee heard oral evidence on the inquiry into engineering skills. "We compete in a high labour cost economy;...
We need more engineers...
"We desperately need more engineers..." said James Dyson in an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme in September. "The main problem is that we're not graduating enough engineers..." Listen...
Improving social mobility...
The Milburn Report: University Challenge: How Higher Education Can Advance Social Mobility was published earlier this month. In it, the importance of foundation degrees in supporting those from disadvantaged social...
...but a somewhat different situation in university recruitment of engineering professors in the US compared with the UK...
Purdue University plans to hire more than 100 new engineering professors and boost engineering enrolment by 10 percent over the next five years to help move the school to the...
Messages about maths education and the contribution of engineering to the economy are the same over the pond...
One of the aerospace industry's most respected leaders said Wednesday that government and industry badly need to take steps to reform the U.S. education system to dramatically boost teaching of...
US study shows that people who majored in engineering had the highest earnings of any bachelor’s degree field
The field of bachelor’s degree makes a considerable difference in a college graduate’s annual earnings, according to 2011 American Community Survey (ACS) data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Built in Britain: has Britain finally rediscovered its great tradition of epic engineering?
Victorian Britain was famous for its magnificent feats of engineering, but over a century later our once groundbreaking systems are aged and creaking. In this two part series, Evan Davis...
Royal Academy of Engineering publishes report...
...on the importance of engineering skills to the economy. Read it here: www.raeng.org.uk/jobsandgrowth.
Online engineering courses?
The American Society for Engineering Education reports that Columbia University is to offer engineering courses through Coursera.
Occasional papers
[wptabs type="accordion"][wptabtitle] Help - I can't get the pdf file to open or download...[/wptabtitle][wptabcontent]This isn't a website problem, it's most likely to be a browser problem... There are some known...
Output standards
In response to concerns expressed by Government, employers and the Engineering Council over the lack of a common format for the articulation of the output standards of engineering graduates, the...
House of Lords Report: Higher Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects: published 24 July 2012
“The Government in their Plan for Growth attach great importance to education and hi-tech industry in order to create jobs and prosperity. The jobs of the future will increasingly require...
Open access issues...
Two complementary reports were published in June addressing the issue of Open Access from different perspectives. Firstly the Finch Report “Accessibility, sustainability, excellence: how to expand access to research publications”...
Board resources
Members may view and download papers for up-coming meetings here, as well as the papers and minutes for previous meetings. NB some pages in these files are left deliberately blank to...
Preparing for the Comprehensive Spending Review
Event: CaSE Roundtable Discussion: Spending Review 2013 Date: 25th May, 2012 Speakers: Dr Graeme Reid, Head of Research Funding, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Professor Alan Hughes, Director...