Work starts on Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering

Senior figures from Coventry University and Unipart donned high-visibility jackets and hard hats to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony at the manufacturing firm's Beresford Avenue site in Coventry. It marks the start of a six-month construction project to create a 1,700 sq m manufacturing and R&D space for training 40+ undergraduates and postgraduates in the first year. To mark the ceremony, institute director Dr Carl Perrin also announced a commitment to spend more than £2 million on robotic automation, forming, joining, analysis and simulation, metrology and product verification technology. "AME is set to pioneer a new higher education model for manufacturing degrees, offering a blend of innovative activity-led teaching, product development and research to create a unique learning environment," he said. "Our dedicated facility is absolutely key to this and a lot of time has been taken in shaping the design and layout to ensure we create a world class manufacturing and engineering environment that inspires the next generation of engineers." The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering is a joint £32m collaboration between Coventry University and Unipart. Its aim is to develop the next generation of highly skilled, specialist engineers and operational leaders by providing students with direct access to Unipart's operations, allowing them to work on 'live' issues in a real world manufacturing production environment. The picture shows, from the left: John Latham, vice-chancellor of Coventry University, Unipart Manufacturing group managing director Carol Burke and Carl Perrin. The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering is a £32m project led by Coventry University and the Unipart Group. It will create an international centre of engineering and manufacturing excellence, which will be the base for a sustained programme of innovative teaching, learning, product development and research activity. The aim is to develop the next generation of highly skilled, specialist engineers and operational leaders needed for the UK's high-value manufacturing sector.