BAE Systems begins maritime research with university

Worth at least £1.25m over the next five years, the partnership is the third of its kind announced this year and forms part of BAE Systems’ Skills2020 strategy, which aims to nurture the skills required for the company.

According to BAE Systems, today’s Memorandum of Understanding will encourage the sharing of skills, knowledge and technology between the university and the company, giving students opportunities for industrial placements and to learn from new guest lecturers with direct industrial experience.

Additionally, the partners have already set up a workshop at the start of the new year to identify the most exciting areas of focus for their first collaborative research projects.

Alan Johnston, managing director at BAE Systems’ Surface Ships division, said: ‘By working in partnership, we’re aiming to bring engineering to life for today’s students and further strengthen the university’s research activity by focusing on real-life industrial challenges, but also enhance the skills in our own business, which we need to remain at the forefront of engineering.’