The University of Roehampton has won a grant of almost £6 million from the Office of Students (OfS) to support the development of a new centre of sustainable engineering and technology education centre (SETEC). The new Centre will provide industry-leading facilities for students and support the UK’s strategic journey to achieve net-zero by 2050.
The Centre will provide a comprehensive green skills education, delivering high-quality and industry-engaged programmes in engineering, architecture and built environment courses, including higher technical, apprenticeship and degree education.
Based on the University’s central campus in south-west London, and spanning 3,000sqm in size, the new state-of-the-art facility will see the redevelopment of existing buildings, feature sustainable design principles, and will house technology-rich engineering workshops, flexible teaching, design studio spaces and computer-aided design (CAD) labs. SETEC will support the University’s expanding STEM provision, offer new built environment and engineering courses at degree and apprenticeship levels to support student’s educational development, and foster greater collaboration opportunities with further education partners and organisations across London.
Dr Richard Keogh, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and External Engagement) at the University, said: “Our new Sustainable Engineering and Technology Education Centre underpins the University of Roehampton’s commitment to provide students with best-in-class facilities within engineering and built environment courses. Over the next five years, an additional 266,000 skilled workers are needed to address employer demand in the built environment industries, and there are chronic shortages of green skills as the UK aims to meet its net-zero aspirations. This new funding from the OfS is a major milestone to helping the University produce a world-class educational centre to cultivate the next generation of engineering and built environment professionals for the local area and throughout the UK.”
The development of SETEC follows the University’s opening of its Mary Seacole Health Innovation Centre in September, which will train the next generation of nursing and allied health professionals within primary and community health care.