Birmingham City University showcased its full range of technology and engineering expertise – all geared up to support the regional and national economies – to its Chancellor Anita Ward.
Councillor Ward, who is also Lord Mayor of Birmingham, was making a fact-finding tour of the University’s Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment (TEE), based at Millennium Point.
Chancellor Ward was shown how the business-facing faculty is well positioned to support the development of the regional economy through its applied research, industry collaborations and the production of ‘career-ready’ graduates, with sought-after science, technology and engineering (STEM) skills.
“This visit has been a real inspiration. I was very impressed with the way the Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment is working so closely with organisations – large and small – to find exciting solutions to their business needs,” said Chancellor Ward.
The faculty – a recognised a leader in ‘green technology’ – is already a supporter of ambitious Birmingham City Council projects, such as its plans to invest £760million in a green energy initiative to reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 60 per cent by 2026 – and also help kick-start the regional economy by developing ‘green manufacturing’ in the West Midlands. This Green Deal initiative is hoped to create 55,000 jobs.
Therefore among the pioneering work that the Chancellor saw first-hand was based in the University’s Centre for Low Carbon Research, a team which is investigating the use of algae as an alternative fuel and has recently attracted the interest of energy giant and University partner E.ON.
This was just one highlight. The Chancellor was introduced to the full work of the faculty by Associate Dean Dr Peter Rayson. He explained that the faculty has four schools, all with common underpinning themes of digital technologies, including sustainable engineering solutions and environmentally efficient methods and processes.
On her tour the Chancellor was shown a range of work, including a behind-the-scenes look at how actors in a film studio can be properly lit, how robots can help young people engage with technology and engineering manufacture, the construction of student racing cars, as well as students applying the latest expertise in cloud computing, or using complex design and simulation software.
