EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/I01585X/1
Title: Engineering Doctoral Centre in High Value, Low Environmental Impact Manufacturing
Principal Investigator: Bhattacharyya, Prof Lord S
Other Investigators:
Neailey, Dr K Kirwan, Professor KE
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
InstaGroup Jaguar Land Rover Limited Parametric Technology Corporation
Tata Steel Limited
Department: WMG
Organisation: University of Warwick
Scheme: Centre for Doctoral Training
Starts: 01 April 2011 Ends: 30 September 2018 Value (£): 1,250,000
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Design & Testing Technology Manufact. Enterprise Ops& Mgmt
Manufacturing Machine & Plant
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine Manufacturing
Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Whilst the quality of the output of doctoral-level skills from UK universities is rarely challenged, the relevance and work-place readiness of such skills has historically been questioned by many manufacturing companies. EPSRC's EngD programme, which WMG has pioneered since 1992, has been highly successful in addressing these concerns. However, we believe it is now time for a step-change in the EngD, with radical ideas on high-level skills to be implemented to address the future needs of manufacturing companies in rising to the challenge of a low environmental impact future. Our new EngD Centre in High Value, Low Environment Impact Manufacturing will help ensure that the UK is able to regain its global position in manufacturing and become more successful at innovation and exploitation in low carbon technologies.Our centre will exploit WMG's broad multi-disciplinary research portfolio, exceptionally strong links to industry and understanding of emerging policy, to deliver tailored research and education for companies on low-carbon issues. The Centre will address industrially challenging issues that enable companies to develop and implement effective low-environmental impact policies that benefit the 'bottom line'. Greater resource efficiency helps insure businesses against uncertainty in the supply of materials and price volatility in global markets. It also enables businesses to use their commitment to sustainability to differentiate themselves from competitors.Our vision for the new WMG Industrial Doctorate Centre in High Value, Low Environmental Impact Carbon Manufacturing is:To produce a future generation of manufacturing leaders with the high-level know-how and research experience essential to compete in a global manufacturing environment defined by high impact and low carbon. They will be adept at working in multidisciplinary teams and exceptionally well networked internationally, and with demonstrable entrepreneurial flair.At the core of the Centre are the individual doctoral research projects based on real opportunities and problems in industry, which will deliver research excellence and implement innovations in industry. The Centre will adopt Warwick's portfolio approach, pioneered for the EngD by WMG in the original centre, enabling presentation of new knowledge throughout the programme. Individual projects will display the levels of scholarship, rigour and originality required at the doctorate level.Multidisciplinary team working is built in to our new programme through a cohort approach, a group project, and structured debates. The entrepreneurship element is included in relevant modules, commercialization workshops, empowerment activities, and taking a product to market via the group project (collectively leading to the concurrent gaining of a Masters degree in Technology Entrepreneurship). Business and academic networking and the development of international understanding will be achieved through specialist IT, UK placements, an international placement, workshops and structured social activities. WMG can provide unrivalled access to industrial, international, academic, policy maker and political networks. These new elements will be fully integrated with appropriate modules and the individual research portfolio, with careful customization to meet the needs of individuals.Our new Industrial Doctoral Centre is more ambitious than anything WMG has implemented previously, and represents a very intensive and challenging learning experience for the Research Entrepreneurs (REs). We are confident our programme, because of its innovative nature and the breadth of the offering, will attract individuals of exceptional ability able to rise to the challenges we are offering. We have already attracted considerable support from companies for this novel approach which will provide direct impact as they seek to develop a 'triple bottom line' of economic, environmental and social performance.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.warwick.ac.uk