果冻传媒

A substantial gift of 拢1.5 million from TVS Motor Company will help create a crucial new Professorial post in WMG, 果冻传媒 - the Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education.

The gift celebrates TVS Motor Company鈥檚 close relationship with WMG and will continue the legacy of the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, enhancing WMG鈥檚 academic expertise in the understanding, development and teaching of engineering and manufacturing internationally.

The news was announced in Mumbai yesterday (Monday, 7 November) at a reception for 果冻传媒 graduates hosted by Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University.

果冻传媒 has a close network of more than 5,500 alumni in India and is the most successful Russell Group university for recruiting students from India. This is Professor Croft鈥檚 first visit to the country for the purposes of encouraging support from alumni and friends for the University鈥檚 vision.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya sadly passed away on the 1 March, 2019. To celebrate his legacy in global manufacturing and innovation, the new Chair will drive forward innovations in research-led teaching and scholarship. Just as Professor Lord Bhattacharyya played a significant role in building relationships between India and the UK, the appointee will be responsible for establishing connections for UK higher education and WMG in Asia, particularly in India and Hong Kong.

This will include new ways to inspire young people from different backgrounds to pursue engineering careers through the WMG Academies for Young Engineers, degree apprenticeships, and professional skills programmes delivered by the WMG Skills Centre, along with an opportunity to explore innovation in the higher education space more widely.

Sir Ratan Tata, former Chairman of Tata Sons, said he was delighted to hear about the gift.

鈥淚 deeply valued my friendship with Kumar and know the philanthropy of TVS Motor Company will continue his vison of creating innovative, engaging, and authentic learning opportunities for a diverse range of students. Strong industry links were so important for Kumar and it鈥檚 exciting that WMG is working closely in partnership with this prestigious motorcycle company.鈥�

Mr Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company and Director of Tata Sons, said: 鈥淲MG excels because it has the momentum created by Kumar. It wouldn鈥檛 have happened without him, but it continues after him. Kumar always said a true legacy was an institution that does better after your time. We are delighted to make a gift that continues this ambition.鈥�

Mr N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said: 鈥淟ord Bhattacharyya created a world class, leading-edge capability at WMG. The new Chair in Engineering Education will be a crucial addition to their academic leadership, ensuring the next generation of engineering leaders are inspired through the highest levels of teaching. I鈥檓 thrilled the Chair will also work to enhance international connections for both WMG and the 果冻传媒.鈥�

果冻传媒 alumnus Professor Sir Ralf Speth (EngD Engineering, 2004-08), Chairman of TVS Motor Company, Director of Tata Sons, and former CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said:

鈥淜umar was very keen on creating top talents and innovative break-throughs. He liked curious, younger people. He believed in the powerful momentum resulting out of a special atmosphere of new technologies and curious, passionate talents.鈥�

Mr Sudarshan Venu (MSc International Technology Management, 2010-12), Managing Director of TVS Motor Company, said: 鈥淚 am grateful for having been mentored by Lord Bhattacharyya, who had a tremendous impact on me and taught me a lot about the global automotive industry. TVS has had a strong partnership with WMG covering the areas of education, research, and joint projects. We look forward to building on this in the future as well.鈥�

In 2016, WMG was awarded a Regius Professorship in Manufacturing, which was bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in recognition of the transformational contributions that Professor Lord Bhattacharyya made to UK manufacturing. The new role will complement the Regius Professorship and celebrate Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 impact on engineering and manufacturing internationally.

The Chair in Education role was initially established in 2021 thanks to a private philanthropic donation of 拢1.5 million, gifted by a 果冻传媒 alumnus. The additional gift from TVS Motor Company will help future-proof the post for generations to come and help the University achieve its goals for the Chair. The University intends to recruit for the role in 2023.

Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the 果冻传媒, said: 鈥淲e are extremely grateful to TVS for making this generous gift to support WMG in enhancing and exceeding educational standards. The new role of Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education will continue Professor Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 legacy, and help us thrive in connecting education, research and industry, setting up our graduates for successful futures.

鈥湽�冻传媒 has a fantastic network of alumni in India, and I鈥檓 delighted to have the opportunity to meet many of our graduates this week to explore how they can support the University鈥檚 vision for the future in the world鈥檚 largest democracy.鈥�

Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, 果冻传媒, who is visiting India this week alongside Professor Croft, said: 鈥淲e would like to thank TVS Motor Company for their generous gift. Their support will enable the new Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education role to preserve and expand Professor Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 pursuit of excellence in education, whilst further developing the relationships between our teaching and research.

鈥淲e anticipate that the successful appointee will further extend WMG鈥檚 teaching partnerships with industry and our international partners in Asia, enabling us to facilitate high quality and meaningful professional, international and intercultural learning opportunities that broaden the global perspectives of our students and provide the skills needed for current and future industry requirements.鈥�

ENDS

Notes to Editors

WMG, 果冻传媒

WMG is a world leading research and education group, transforming organisations and driving innovation through a unique combination of collaborative research and development, and pioneering education programmes.

As an international role model for successful partnerships between academia and the private and public sectors, WMG develops advancements nationally and globally, in applied science, technology and engineering, to deliver real impact to economic growth, society and the environment.

WMG鈥檚 education programmes focus on lifelong learning of the brightest talent, from the WMG Academies for Young Engineers, degree apprenticeships, undergraduate and postgraduate, through to professional programmes.

An academic department of the 果冻传媒, and a centre for the HVM Catapult, WMG was founded by the late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya in 1980 to help reinvigorate UK manufacturing and improve competitiveness through innovation and skills development. Taking a partnership approach with Indian collaborators, aiming to understand their requirements from both technical and skills-based perspectives, means WMG provides a holistic approach to truly benefit industry and academia. This has led to long-term, valued relationships.

WMG engages with Indian industry and academic partners across the breadth of its research, including advanced materials and sustainable manufacturing, electrification, visualisation, and metrology. Routes to collaboration include tailored industry-facing skills courses, training industry-based Master鈥檚 students, collaborative PhD studentships, and joint research projects.

Highlights from TVS relationship:

- Two-year MSc by research programme delivered to TVS staff

- Joint EngD programme

- On-site delivery of short courses on electric vehicle technology

- Research and testing programme for automotive batteries and electrification

- Over 10 years of active partnership

Highlights from TATA relationship:

- WMG hosts the Tata Steel Professor of thermo-mechanical processing, Professor Claire David, who leads our engagement with TATA Steel

- WMG Catapult has a two-year programme with TATA Steel UK around advanced forming, welding, and coatings for steels

- WMG with TATA Steel UK and Swansea University form the EPSRC-funded SUSTAIN Future Manufacturing Hub, developing advanced route to greener, more sustainable, high-performing steels

- An EPSRC Prosperity Partnership project in which fundamental research is deployed to answer business-led challenges. The partnership is developing new routes for rapid alloy processing

- The European branch of TATA Steel is a co-partner in the National Automotive Innovation Centre with WMG and JLR – the centre, based at WMG, co-locates industry and academic partners to develop the research and skills base for pioneering future mobility solutions

Wider 果冻传媒 collaborations in India include a partnership with IIT Kharagpur designed to meet challenges of importance to the UK and India.

WMG centre for High Value Manufacturing, at the 果冻传媒, has welcomed its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Simon Webb.

Simon, who was previously Head of Zero Carbon Strategy for the (ATI), has over 20 years鈥� experience in aerospace engineering, technology and strategy leadership.

Prior to this, he was the Chief of Technology and Digital (Civil Aerospace) at Rolls-Royce, responsible for a portfolio of technology strategy and execution programmes globally.

Simon has a background in leading the development, design and manufacture of aerospace engines including the engineering teams on the world鈥檚 most efficient large aero-engine, the Trent XWB, and more recently the Rolls-Royce Titanium-Composite Fan System development activity.

He also sits on the board of directors for the , focusing on zero carbon flight technologies; and the technical advisory board of the ENABLE-H2 hydrogen research programme led by .

With his extensive industrial and technical background, Simon will help continue WMG鈥檚 work to accelerate new concepts in manufacturing into commercial reality, helping businesses tackle challenges with innovations in technologies, processes and materials.

Simon Webb comments: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to be joining WMG as Chief Technology Officer and by extension being part of the 果冻传媒. I鈥檓 looking forward to further developing and applying the technologies and capabilities WMG has to offer into industry, and in doing so improving the sustainability of our transportation network and beyond. I expect to work closely across the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network to integrate our capabilities and so maximise the benefits to industry, the UK, and our global partners.鈥�

Professor David Greenwood, CEO of WMG centre High Value Manufacturing Catapult says: 鈥淲e are delighted to welcome Simon to the team. He brings with him a wealth of experience in aerospace and digital manufacturing, centred around zero carbon propulsion. Simon鈥檚 aerospace expertise broadens our depth of knowledge at WMG, and we are looking forward to learning more from him.鈥�

Professor Chris Dungey, High Value Manufacturing Catapult CTO, says: 鈥淪imon is joining the HVMC family at an exciting time. We are entering a new chapter which will see the Centres across the network working more collaboratively than ever before, and I am looking forward to working with Simon and the wider CTO team to help the Catapult deliver industrial transformation for the UK.鈥�

Find out more about the High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres here: https://hvm.catapult.org.uk/

A student from WMG, at the 果冻传媒, has been recognised for his hard work by the (IET).

Ezra Cunningham, who is employed by Jaguar Land Rover, has now completed the final year of his Applied Engineering Programme degree apprenticeship at WMG.

The IET Prize is awarded annually to outstanding students who are completing a course of study which has been accredited by the IET. Prize winners are nominated by their university based on having shown distinction in their course leading to the award of a first class degree.

As part of his win, Ezra will receive a certificate and two years free student membership of the IET.

Ezra Cunningham explains: 鈥淭hanks to the help of my lecturers, peers and colleagues at work, I have broadened my understanding of engineering. I鈥檓 looking forward to using this award to progress my career and target of studying an MBA in the next two years.鈥�

WMG Associate Professor and Ezra鈥檚 mentor, Dr Tara Schiller adds: 鈥淚 think it's a great achievement to come first in a cohort but to also achieve this award from the IET is well-deserved. I wish Ezra a wonderful future and look forward to following his career.鈥�

Sir Julian Young, IET President, said: 鈥淥ur IET Prizes are a terrific means for talented engineering students to be recognised for their outstanding ability in the early stages of their engineering journey. IET Membership provides early-career professionals with the valuable opportunity to connect with a global community, grow their networks and develop their technical knowledge.

鈥淭丑别 IET is passionate about promoting engineering excellence and our awards and prizes showcase some of the finest engineering talent. All the winners should be justifiably proud of their achievements. I wish them all the best for a long, fulfilling and successful engineering career: they are all difference makers of the future!鈥�

To find out more information about the range of prizes and awards available to young and aspiring engineers through the IET, please visit:

Find out more about WMG鈥檚 Degree Apprenticeships here: Degree Apprenticeships : WMG, 果冻传媒

Dr Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Verification and Validation of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) at WMG at the 果冻传媒, is working on a series of workshops to define a universal framework for autonomous vehicle safety that can apply to any mode of transport.

Dr Khastgir鈥檚 workshops, in partnership with the Department for Transport and Lloyds Register, focus on identifying the differences and similarities in safety scenarios faced by different sectors to create a cohesive safety framework.

Watch and read the report: to find out more.

• The funding will be used to launch a new programme called the 果冻传媒 Electrification Deployment (WELD)
• WELD will be contributed to by WMG's Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD) Group and the School of Engineering's Power Electronics group
• These two world class research groups will use 果冻传媒鈥檚 unique facilities, as well as the university鈥檚 manufacturing and testing capability to help in the new education programme
• WELD is one of the winners of the 鈥楧riving the Electric Revolution: Building Talent for the Future 2鈥� competition, run by Innovate UK
• The new initiative will include industry workshops, outreach activity in school and increased teaching provision within PEMD

New content in power electronics, eMachines and drives will also be created at the University to use current expertise to both up-skill the existing workforce and support the pipeline of talent for future generations.

Finally, WELD will also focus on the design of IP-free eMachines, with parts manufacture, assembly and testing on campus to allow for hands-on learning.

As both transport and industrial equipment pivots from combustion technology to electrical power, skills for the design, manufacture and maintenance of electric drivetrains are increasingly in demand.

WELD will benefit from the two 鈥楧riving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation鈥� (DER-IC) facilities at the university: the Winding Centre of Excellence and the power electronics reliability and failure analysis space, both launching in Autumn 2022. The trained workforce will help UK businesses to develop and scale new PEMD technologies and manufacturing processes.

Dr Juliette Soulard, Associate Professor Electric Machines at WMG says: 鈥淭hrough our close collaboration with UK industry, we witness the huge difficulties faced when trying to recruit people with the right skills for PEMD research and development projects.

鈥淭丑别 expertise exists in the UK, but the knowledge and skills transfer needs dedicated and urgent actions which normal higher education courses cannot deliver. WELD鈥檚 industry workshops with unique, hands-on learning about manufacturing and device testing aims to address this issue.鈥�

Prof. Peter Gammon, Professor of Power Electronic Devices, Head of Research and Deputy Head of the School of Engineering says: 鈥淲e are extremely proud to be leading the WELD project, which will help meet a national and international PEMD skills shortage.

鈥淥ur activities will also help increase the flow of engineering graduates into the industry via new PEMD and Automotive Electrification MScs, while an extensive outreach programme will help educate and inspire the next generation of engineers.鈥�

ENDS

Note to Editors:

Useful Links:

果冻传媒 Manufacturing Group

果冻传媒 Engineering School

WMG, 果冻传媒

WMG is a world leading research and education group, transforming organisations and driving innovation through a unique combination of collaborative research and development, and pioneering education programmes. As an international role model for successful partnerships between academia and the private and public sectors, WMG develops advancements nationally and globally, in applied science, technology and engineering, to deliver real impact to economic growth, society and the environment.

WMG is one of the founding partners of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult and leads HVM Catapult activities on Transport Electrification and Connected and Autonomous Mobility. The Catapult network鈥檚 mission is to leverage research and educational expertise to de-risk innovation for UK manufacturing, to improve business resilience, productivity, competitiveness and sustainability.

School of Engineering, 果冻传媒

The School of Engineering benefits from its multidisciplinary approach, with research covering a broad range of topics. Key themes of Energy, Biomedical Engineering, and Future Cities, Materials and Manufacturing, and Technology and Society provide a framework to the research efforts, which are underpinned by four discipline streams and fourteen research groups. The School employs some of the leading engineers in their field, who regularly publish papers in top ranking journals. There are currently over 150 students undertaking postgraduate research degrees and 55 65 research post-doctorate staff.

DER-IC

DER-IC (Driving the Electric Revolution Industrial Centres) is building a globally recognised, sustainable UK-wide network with the relevant skills and capabilities to deliver the PEMD (power electronics, machines, and drives) necessary for a net zero future in all relevant applications. The network of DER-IC is instrumental in the UK鈥檚 progress towards its 2050 net zero target and a world leading response to the realisation of the industrial technology (IDT) revolution.

DER-IC is funded by UK Research and Innovation and was set up in 2020 as part of the Driving the Electric Revolution challenge.

DER-IC provides open access facilities to over 拢300 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment, bringing together the UK鈥檚 technology and manufacturing expertise in electrification research and development.

搂 DER-IC is creating cost-effective, UK-based technologies and solutions, with export market opportunities, to help address and support climate change

搂 DER-IC is educating about the art of what鈥檚 possible for governments, industry, academia, and schools

搂 DER-IC is an industry led project which has so far engaged with 400 industrial organisations, as well as having 30+ academic institutions and RTO鈥檚 in its network

It was a pleasure to welcome guests from the to WMG at the 果冻传媒 on Wednesday 12th October 2022.

UTeM Chancellor cum Melaka State Governor, His Excellency Tun Seri Dr Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam; UTeM鈥檚 Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Massila Kamalrudin; and UTeM鈥檚 Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Professor Dr Ghazali Omar; were met by Dean of WMG Professor Robin Clark, 果冻传媒 Provost, Professor Christine Ennew; and WMG鈥檚 Director of Client and Business Development (East Asia) Dr Kogi Balakrishnan,

His Excellency was particularly interested to hear more about WMG鈥檚 research addressing net zero including energy innovation, very light rail, smart cities and the future of engineering.

The guests were then given a guided tour of WMG鈥檚 world class battery research facilities in the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC), before being given a demonstration of the 3xD Simulator in the International Manufacturing Centre, the world's first immersive, simulated environment for smart and connected vehicles.

Finally, the delegation was taken to WMG鈥檚 Centre for Imaging, Metrology and Additive Technologies (CiMAT) where the group learnt more about scanning technologies for the 3D characterisation and validation of complex internal and external architectures, including high resolution laser scanning, micro-CT and advanced 3D visualisation.

Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG at the 果冻传媒 said: 鈥淚t was a pleasure to welcome our guests from UTeM and to share the work we are doing here at WMG. What became apparent at the outset was the synergy between the two institutions with respect to the applied way in which we both view our work, whether education or research. I look forward to further discussions and I hope some form of future collaboration.鈥�

His Excellency Tun Seri Dr Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam said: 鈥淚n line with UTeM鈥檚 vision and mission, it is hoping that WMG and UTeM can start fostering collaborations in research and training. WMG鈥檚 broad experience and innovation output may lead UTeM to become the leading innovative and creative technical university in the region. Gratitude to WMG for the warm welcome and hospitality during UTeM鈥檚 visit to WMG.鈥�

UTeM was established in December 2000, and boasts strengths in technical fields – namely Engineering, IT, and Management Technology. UTeM has cemented a reputation of being a source of high-quality engineering graduates with the capability of meeting the requirements of high-tech industries.

Find out more about UTeM .

Five of WMG, at the 果冻传媒, Master鈥檚 courses have been recognised in the .

WMG鈥檚 Master鈥檚 courses in e-Business Management; Supply Chain and Logistics Management; Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Engineering Business Management retained their 2021 positions, as best in class in the UK, in their respective categories.

 In 2022, they have been joined by WMG鈥檚 Cyber Security Management Master鈥檚 programme, which ranks 1st in the UK in the newly established Cybersecurity, Systems Security and Data Protection category.

 路 MSc Cyber Security Management - Number 1 in the UK and Number 2 globally in the Top 25 Master's for Cybersecurity, Systems Security and Data Protection.

 路 MSc Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Number 1 in the UK and Number 25 globally for Entrepreneurship.

 路 MSc Supply Chain and Logistics Management - Number 1 in the UK and Number 29 globally for Supply Chain and Logistics

 路 MSc Engineering Business Management - Number 1 in the UK and Number 3 in Western Europe for Industrial and Operations Management

 路 MSc e-Business Management - Number 1 in the UK and Number 5 in Western Europe for e-Business

Dr Harjinder Lallie, Discipline Group Lead for Cyber Security at WMG, at the 果冻传媒, said: 鈥淚t is wonderful that the MSc Cyber Security Management degree continues to receive recognition both nationally and globally. The course has an international reputation for excellent teaching, hands on practical experiences and superb post-study employment opportunities.鈥�

Professor Dan Nunan, Associate Dean (Postgraduate) at WMG at the 果冻传媒, added: 鈥淚 am delighted that our specialist Master鈥檚 courses in applied engineering, management and technology continue to be globally recognised as a leading choice for students seeking to develop their careers. In every category where WMG courses are ranked they are rated #1 in the UK, and amongst the top in the world.鈥�

Eduniversal Group is a global leader in higher education information, providing students worldwide with the tools to find the best education opportunities. Eduniversal publishes annual rankings of the best Master's programmes in 50 fields of study, covering 154 different countries within nine geographic zones. The ranked programmes come from more than 1,800 universities and schools.

WMG offers twelve Master鈥檚 courses across management, engineering, technology and innovation, all designed to meet the needs of global industry. Find out more here: WMG (果冻传媒) Full-time Master's (MSc) Programmes

It was an honour to welcome representatives from the (IIT) Kharagpur to WMG at the 果冻传媒.

The guests were met by Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG; Margot James, Executive Chair; Professor David Greenwood, Director for Industrial Engagement and Professor Mark Williams, Chair of the International Strategy Group (ISG). The group was then taken on a guided tour of WMG鈥檚 world class research and education facilities in the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya Building, the International Manufacturing Centre (IMC) and the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC).

Guests from the IIT included Professor Virendra Kumar Tewari; Debashish Chakravarty, Professor of Mining Engineering and Associate Dean Alumni Affairs; and Surjya Kanta Pal, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chair of the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing Technology.

After the tour, Professor Robin Clark and Professor Virendra Kumar Tewari signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a further 5 years.

WMG has had a close relationship for many years with the IIT, particularly with IIT Kharagpur and signed the first MoU education and research partnership in 2008.

Following the success of the partnership through the internship and PhD scholarship programme, the two organisations will now continue to work together on research and explore opportunities for a joint PhD programme and joint academic programmes for industry professionals and academic staff in the field of automation, manufacturing, and Industry 4.0. The relationship will also facilitate the exchange of staff between the two institutions and develop a joint PhD programme.

Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG at the 果冻传媒 said: 鈥淚t was a pleasure to welcome colleagues from IIT Kharagpur, to hear about their work and to share what we are currently engaged in at WMG. Our relationship is long standing, one that we value highly and one that we are excited about developing with new ideas alongside our established successes.鈥�

Professor Mark Williams, Leader of the Centre for Imaging, Metrology, and Additive Technology (CiMAT) said: 鈥淭丑别 extension of this important partnership clearly demonstrates our commitment to a close working relationship with India and builds on the international presence of WMG and The 果冻传媒.鈥�

Professor Virendra K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur remarked: 鈥淚t was a pleasure to visit the 果冻传媒. A warm welcome was extended by our counterparts which gave us many memoirs to cherish. We look forward to further great associations and collaborations with WMG in terms of innovative ideations on academic frontiers and explore other opportunities of research and development. These understandings will enhance the scope of technological advancements for both the institutions and carve a way for better successes.鈥�

Visit the 鈥�Overseas Teaching Centres鈥� webpage for more information about WMG鈥檚 collaborations with international institutions.

• Real-world urban highway demo site of innovative rail track system for Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) unveiled on 果冻传媒 campus
• Testing facility will allow simulation of various scenarios, enabling active engagement with key stakeholders including utility companies and city transport planners
• WMG and engineers have capitalised on advanced material and manufacturing processes developed over recent years

The Coventry Very Light Rail Project (CVLR) has taken a major step forward, as and WMG, at the 果冻传媒, launch a real-world demo site for its light rail track system. 

The site, based at WMG, 果冻传媒, gives stakeholders a snapshot of what鈥檚 to come in Coventry, when the first phase of the city route commences. 

Using advanced material and manufacturing processes, researchers and engineers at WMG have worked alongside track-design experts at 鈥痶o create, design and build the demo site including the unique track system, which is not only more affordable to install but also enables rapid installation - minimising disruption to local properties and businesses. 

The track form, designed to sit within the top 30cm of existing highway surfaces, is easy to install and can be removed rapidly; significantly reducing clashes with utilities and potentially saving millions of pounds otherwise spent on excavation and moving gas, electrical and telecommunication systems when installing more traditional track forms. With installation costed at approximately 拢10m per km, the track is significantly cheaper compared to current tram tracks which can cost upwards of 拢25m per km, and significantly more in city centre locations. 

The new track has been developed in parallel to a zero-emission, battery-powered lightweight shuttle vehicle created in partnership with TDi. The vision of Coventry Very Light Rail is that as technology matures it will鈥痓ecome autonomous and work similarly to the London Underground system, where service is frequent and passengers can hop on and off. 

The vehicle itself is lightweight, and there will be no overhead power supply along the route, significantly reducing infrastructure costs, complexity and visual impact on the city-scape. 

Councillor Jim O鈥橞oyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: 鈥�This new track test site is a key part of our work to demonstrate the viability of the breakthrough technology in this track. In a world first, we鈥檙e aiming to keep pipes and cables in the ground, lowering installation costs and making Coventry Very Light Rail possible in our city and across the country. 

鈥淐oventry Very Light Rail will form the backbone of our future transport network, but we鈥檙e investing in many projects to make our city鈥檚 transport cleaner, greener and more convenient for residents. Coventry Very Light Rail will fit seamlessly with our plans to be the UK's first all-electric bus city and our plans to continue to provide more on-street electric charge points than anywhere outside London.鈥�

Following installation at the 果冻传媒, Coventry City Council will install test track at its Whitley Depot waste facility to test it with heavy goods vehicles, and also at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) in Dudley, where vehicle testing is currently taking place. The installation will form part of the facility鈥檚 15m radius loop, built to test the prototype vehicle鈥檚 cornering system and will enable full system integration testing to be undertaken.

Dr Christopher Micallef, Principal Engineer at WMG, 果冻传媒 comments: 鈥淭丑别 果冻传媒 urban track demonstration site provides an ideal scenario to prove-out the installation methods of the novel track system. The site will enable various competing sub-systems such as the encapsulation and pavement systems to be trialled to further explore the advantages and challenges.

鈥淭丑别 site includes features such as water drainage gullies, buried utilities and a sewage access chamber to ensure that solutions to these real-world complexities can be explored. After the first phase, which is all about the track installation process, the site will be further utilised to allow various scenarios to be simulated and enable active engagement with key stakeholders such as utility companies, materials and subsystems supply chain and city transport planners. Eventually it could provide a facility to train the next generation of track installation teams.鈥� 

, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: 鈥淭his very light rail project is a fantastic demonstration of collaboration across our region – whether it鈥檚 the development at Dudley, this new test track at 果冻传媒 University or soon enough the first route in Coventry city centre.

鈥淭丑别 is investing 拢71.5m into very light rail. Designing and building a light rail service rapidly and at a fraction of the cost of regular Metro lines has the potential to transform our public transport network. It is also a great example of cutting edge innovation that can help us to meet our #WM2041 net zero commitment and tackle the climate emergency. Our region is ideally placed to become the home of the green industrial revolution.鈥�

Coventry Very Light rail is being led by Coventry City Council and has received funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority, the and Coventry City Council. 

-ENDS- 

• University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce win Bhattacharyya Award 2022 for their work on Advanced Metallic Alloys
• Award-winning partnership recognised for advancing sustainable aviation for the future

and WMG, at the 果冻传媒, have announced the University of Birmingham鈥檚 partnership with Rolls-Royce on Advanced Metallic Alloys as the winner of the Bhattacharyya Award for 2022. The Award, which carries a 拢25,000 prize, has been presented in recognition of an exemplary academia-industry partnership that has helped to lead the UK鈥檚 work on creating safe, efficient, and sustainable aeroengines for the future.

The Bhattacharyya Award is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and was created to encourage more private and academic entities to collaborate, as a tribute to the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya KT CBE FREng FRS, Regius Professor of Manufacturing at the 果冻传媒 and founder of WMG.

Dating back to 1989, the University of Birmingham-Rolls-Royce collaboration has enabled transformative advances in engine efficiencies - directly addressing environmental concerns, while also saving billions of pounds over 30 years of large fleet activity. Their partnership is at the heart of activities to develop and deliver the new engine technologies required to achieve or improve upon the ACARE Flightpath 2050 targets of 75% reduction in CO2 emissions and 90% reduction in NOx.

This industry-academia collaboration has seen extensive, continuous research into processes that are critical for maintaining a competitive and safe aerospace industry and cementing the UK as a leader in aeroengine architectures. These processes have included the enhancement of titanium and nickel disc alloys, development of new titanium aluminide alloys and single crystal turbine blade alloys for jet engines – all using advanced process and materials modelling.

Additionally, the partnership鈥檚 established High Temperature Research Centre is ideally placed for developing future aerospace technologies, including solutions for electrification of flight, hydrogen-powered aeroengines and use of alternative, sustainable aviation fuel.

Together, the University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce partnership has significantly advanced metallurgy in the UK, built new infrastructure and promoted relationships between UK universities for over three decades. The partnership has also focused on developing future talent, having trained over 100 doctoral students in Birmingham who have joined Rolls-Royce as materials and manufacturing specialists.

Paul Bowen FREng, Feeney Professor of Metallurgy/Deputy-Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Industrial Partners) and Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre Director at the University of Birmingham, said: 鈥淥ur team is immensely proud to win this award on behalf of two generations of researchers in our partnership. They have produced safe, efficient aero-engines and have delivered new technologies, new buildings and developed careers. Winning this award is a testimony to the unrivalled support that Rolls-Royce have provided to universities in support of the metallurgical base of the UK.鈥�

Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, past-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and chair of the judging panel for the Bhattacharyya Award, said: 鈥淭丑别 University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce鈥檚 partnership has contributed immensely to the UK鈥檚 aerospace industry. Together, they鈥檝e embodied the spirit of the Bhattacharyya Award by promoting wider collaboration between industry and universities, and in developing the UK鈥檚 future talent.鈥�

Margot James, Executive Chair at WMG, 果冻传媒, said: 鈥淭his partnership is a well-deserving winner and demonstrates the power of industry-academia collaboration to address a challenge as timely and as globally significant as sustainable aviation. We hope that this award celebrating Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 legacy continues to inspire future academics and industry partners to drive further co-operation, creativity, and innovation in the UK.