QMUL awarded share of £1.7 million HEFCE grant to develop engineering and computer science conversion courses
Queen Mary University of London has been awarded a portion of £1.7m in funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to develop four MSc courses.
They include an MSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, an MSc in Big Data Science, an MSc in Biomedical Engineering, and an MSc in Sustainable Energy Engineering.
In total 28 projects, involving 32 universities and colleges, will receive £1.7 million to develop a range of engineering and computer science conversion courses. These will allow those who have undertaken previous study in other subjects to transition to careers in these areas. The new courses will start in the 2016-17 academic year.
Professor Edmund Burke, Vice Principal (Science and Engineering), said: “We’re delighted to receive the funding from HEFCE to develop these MSc courses. The grant will help provide opportunities to students to further their careers in these increasingly important areas of study.”
Chris Millward, HEFCE Director for Research, Education and Knowledge Exchange, added: “Professional engineers and their skills are required throughout the economy, in a wide range of industries and in a variety of roles. It is widely accepted that it would benefit the economy to increase the supply of engineers. Engineering businesses face challenges in recruiting new engineers as new roles are created and the existing workforce retires. In particular, there is ever growing demand for those trained in data science, cybersecurity, and software engineering. By supporting innovative course developments in universities and colleges, these awards will open up careers in these areas to a wider range of graduates, benefiting both students and employers in key sectors such as manufacturing, food and agri-tech, data science, and energy.”