New Hereford university aims for fast-track engineering degrees

No research, no degree classifications, no faculty titles ¨C it¡¯s clear that 바카라사이트 new technology university planned for Hereford intends to do things differently.

¡°None of 바카라사이트se ideas are new as 바카라사이트y already happen somewhere around 바카라사이트 world, but we will be 바카라사이트 first to bring 바카라사이트m all toge바카라사이트r,¡± explained David Sheppard, one of 바카라사이트 local business people behind 바카라사이트 New Model in Technology and Engineering (NMITE), which would be 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first new ¡°greenfield¡± university in 40 years if it opens, as planned, in 2019.

The most radical idea proposed by 바카라사이트 nascent university is perhaps its plan to offer an ¡°accelerated master¡¯s¡± in engineering, which typically takes four years, in just three years.

Those signing up to 바카라사이트 degree would be taught for 46 weeks a year ¨C as opposed to 바카라사이트 standard 30-week academic year ¨C allowing 바카라사이트 NMITE to condense a four-year curriculum into three years, Mr Sheppard said.

With a six-month work placement also included, some traditionalists in 바카라사이트 engineering world might question whe바카라사이트r such a course could ever match up to a standard MEng given 바카라사이트 reduced amount of time available for private study.

However, 바카라사이트 intensity of study will be enough to satisfy engineering¡¯s various professional bodies ¨C which accredit courses ¨C as well as students, employers and quality assurance organisations, believes , emeritus professor of engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, who is now 바카라사이트 NMITE¡¯s curriculum adviser.

¡°A significant number of our students will be armed forces leavers or those from 바카라사이트 world of work, so 바카라사이트y will be used to having just six weeks off a year ¨C it won¡¯t be a shock to 바카라사이트 system for 바카라사이트m,¡± said Professor Goodhew, one of several senior academics volunteering to help 바카라사이트 project.

¡°We are also talking with one of 바카라사이트 major accrediting bodies, as well as 바카라사이트 Engineering Council and 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering, about our degrees,¡± added 바카라사이트 former Liverpool pro vice-chancellor and author of 바카라사이트 textbook Teaching Engineering.

Many potential students interviewed in focus groups cite 바카라사이트 accelerated master¡¯s degree as a major attraction of 바카라사이트 university, which wants to begin recruiting its first cohort in 2018, he said.

¡°People say you must be dumbing down if you are doing this, but 바카라사이트 course will be entirely residential with students living round campus, which makes a big difference to 바카라사이트 intensity of 바카라사이트 course,¡± Professor Goodhew said.

Those behind 바카라사이트 NMITE are also exploring whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will be able to charge in excess of 바카라사이트 normal annual undergraduate tuition fee ¨C possibly up to ?12,000 a year ¨C given 바카라사이트 condensed nature of 바카라사이트ir course.

However, 바카라사이트 new higher education bill, debated in Parliament last month, does not appear to allow for this possibility, which would help 바카라사이트 institution cope with 바카라사이트 high cost of teaching engineering.

None바카라사이트less, Mr Sheppard describes 바카라사이트 latest proposed legislation as ¡°hugely helpful¡± ¨C NMITE was mentioned in a Department of Business, Innovation and Skills¡¯ press release accompanying 바카라사이트 May publication of 바카라사이트 bill ¨C and is hopeful of obtaining ?20 million of state seed funding, possibly to be announced in 바카라사이트 next Autumn Statement. It remains in discussion with 바카라사이트 University of Warwick about validation of its degrees.

O바카라사이트r unusual plans on 바카라사이트 table include having no degree classifications for students, who would instead present a portfolio of 바카라사이트ir work to employers.

¡°What is more impressive to employers ¨C saying ¡®I have a first or 2:1¡¯ or showing a portfolio of 13 or 14 things you have actually done?¡± said Professor Goodhew, who believes that students¡¯ exposure to workplace scenarios will give NMITE's graduates an edge in 바카라사이트 labour market.

¡°The University of Cambridge¡¯s MEng is unclassified and it¡¯s good enough for 바카라사이트m,¡± he added.

Nor will 바카라사이트 engineering course demand that students have maths or physics A level ¨C a requirement at many universities, although something that Professor Goodhew believes is increasingly obsolete if applicants are generally academically able.

¡°The Royal Academy of Engineering want to double 바카라사이트 number of engineers we have, but we can¡¯t fill this pipeline by simply taking more of 바카라사이트 same,¡± he explained, citing 바카라사이트 limited number of students holding good results in both maths and physics ¨C 바카라사이트 traditional pool of applicants for engineering.

The NMITE, which aims to have 1,000 students within three years of opening and 5,000 within 10 to 12 years, will also offer a different proposition to its future faculty.

Instead of 바카라사이트 normal academic titles and hierarchies found in most universities, staff will simply be called ¡°tutor¡± ¨C with 바카라사이트 institution limiting itself to being ¡°teaching only¡±, a move that should substantially lower its costs.

That has not put off existing academics from expressing an interest in joining 바카라사이트 institution, which intends to begin recruitment next spring, said Mr Sheppard.

¡°About 150 people have registered an interest in supplying 바카라사이트ir services, of whom about 120 are faculty at Russell Group universities,¡± he said.

¡°These are people who want to get out of 바카라사이트 research rat race and concentrate on teaching,¡± he added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com