BP Energy Experts Collaborate in Teaching Engineers

University of Birmingham engineering students will benefit from expertise from a global energy company thanks to a collaborative agreement between the School of Mechanical Engineering and BP. 

Undergraduate mechanical engineering students studying for both the 4 year MEng and the 3 year BEng degrees will have the opportunity to apply what they have learnt on their degree programme to real engineering challenges and to relate classroom theory to industrial practice. 

BP is funding workshop training where first year students will gain hands-on experience turning a design concept into a finished functional item using a variety of fabrication techniques. Guest lectures by visiting speakers from BP, which will be interactive, will provide an industrial context to back up classroom theory, giving students the knowledge and skills to solve real world problems and understand the critical role engineers play.  The BP design challenge will give students the opportunity to identify a market need, develop a novel solution to the problem and prepare and present a business case to compete for virtual financing to commercialise the team’s new product. 

Mrs Elaine Aspinwall from the University’s School of Mechanical Engineering, says, ‘We are delighted with the commitment that BP is making to our undergraduate programmes as it is important that students have direct contact with key players in industry and gain experience from the type of challenges they face in a real engineering situation.’

Matt Atkins, BP’s University of Birmingham Campus Team Leader, says, ‘Developing competent and rounded engineers is extremely important to BP.  We are very pleased to be able to collaborate with University of Birmingham through the BP Design and Professional Skills programme and help better equip the next generation of graduate mechanical engineers for the challenges they face in the future.’

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For further media information

Kate Chapple, Press Officer, University of Birmingham, tel 0121 414 2772 or 07789 921164.