LIncoln, 2012-Jan-19
Siemens and the University of Lincoln celebrated the official opening today of Lincoln’s School of Engineering by HRH The Princess Royal with a tour of the research facilities and the school. The £7m award-winning school developed by Siemens, the leading global engineering and technology firm and the University of Lincoln, represents a practical and innovative response to help address the UK skills gap and develop the engineering talent required for the future.
Roland Aurich, CEO, Siemens plc and North West Europe, said: "Siemens' collaboration with the University of Lincoln to establish the UK's first purpose-built engineering school for 20 years is a great example of successful partnership between industry and academia. The Engineering School will help ensure Lincoln's strength as a source of industry-ready engineering skills continues through the next generation."
The school is acknowledged as a unique collaboration between industry and academia by HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council of England) and has won awards nationally and regionally, including the prestigious Lord Stafford Award for Innovation, last year. The school is a pioneering venture, offering a new business model for education and multiple benefits for students, for Siemens and other engineering firms, for the University and the City of Lincoln. Since opening its doors to students in September 2010, the school has almost tripled its intake to 84 students this year, and is already developing its reputation as a centre for leading-edge turbine research and development.
Vice chancellor professor of the University of Lincoln, Mary Stuart said: “We were honoured that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal formally opened the Lincoln School of Engineering, marking an historic development in the UK’s engineering sector. Staff and students relished the opportunity to demonstrate the world-class facilities and to talk about the exciting research we are conducting with our partners in global industry, of which we extremely proud.”
The newly built Engineering Hub is a brand new state-of-the-art building, which houses Siemens’ gas turbine training centre, research and development facilities, including the atmospheric combustion rig donated by Siemens, teaching and training rooms, a large lecture theatre and social areas for staff and students. Co-location of Siemens’ training centre to the Hub has created a unique training environment, enabling students to benefit from the real-life, practical experience working with Siemens’ experts and world-class gas turbines, alongside academic courses. The collaborative nature of the school means that graduates are ‘industry-ready’, and able to contribute immediately when they enter the workplace – whether they pursue their careers with Siemens in Lincoln, or other engineering firms.
Siemens’ work with the University of Lincoln forms a part of its wider skills and training focus in the UK. Siemens plays a key role nationally as a major UK based manufacturer and engineering company. In Lincoln, Siemens also works closely with local schools, colleges and the community to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects and runs a longstanding apprenticeship scheme. Siemens in Lincoln also pioneers the ‘Females into Industry Challenge’ to encourage more women into engineering.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
About Siemens in the UK
Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 169 years ago and now employs 12,972 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were £4.4 billion*. As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry, infrastructure & cities and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk
* Data includes intercompany revenue. Data may not be comparable with revenue reported in annual or interim reports.
For more information, contact:
Rachel Odams
PR Manager
Siemens plc
Tel. +44 (0)1604 696614
Mob: +44 (0)7808 824209
Rachel.odams@siemens.com
About the Engineering School
The School has been supported with over £1.8 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which is managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government, and match funding from Lincolnshire County Council Single Programme Funding, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Siemens and the University.
