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Engineering university with a unique approach to education welcomes its pioneer cohort

Joseph Flaig

NMITE president Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon welcomes the university's 'pioneer' cohort of students
NMITE president Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon welcomes the university's 'pioneer' cohort of students

A new university with a unique approach to engineering education has welcomed its pioneer cohort.

Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon, president of the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) in Hereford, spoke to the cohort of about 30 students as they started their higher education today (6 September). More students are accepting offers, and future cohorts will join in January and September 2022.

Choosing to learn at NMITE will be one of the “best decisions” of the students’ lives, Professor Rodriguez-Falcon told them in her welcome address. “You are making history, but much more importantly you have taken the first step to becoming the change makers that the world needs, and we have created a programme and a learning experience to help you do this. At NMITE you will not study engineering, but rather you will learn to be an engineer.”

The institute aims to deliver ‘work ready’ graduates to engineering companies by taking a different approach to other universities. Rather than lectures and exams, the curriculum on the three-year MEng in integrated engineering will consist of ‘challenge-based’ learning followed by ‘advanced engineering sprints’.

The approach will give students the “vocabulary” to work across disciplines including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science, chief academic officer Professor Beverley Gibbs previously told Professional Engineering, helping them to seek out and understand further information throughout their careers.

Writing online, NMITE associate professor Peter Broks said the induction was “not just [the] start of a new year, but [the] start of a new higher education institution doing new things in a new way.”

The students will work with employers and ‘community partners’ during their time at NMITE. The institute hopes to deliver ‘creative problem solvers’, with experience of real work and collaboration within teams.  

Professor Rodriguez-Falcon asked the students to do two things: “Actively seek out those who have different skills, experiences and ideas from yourself, and if you identify someone who you could help with your own skills and ideas, do it. Keep in mind the quotes ‘the best way to learn is to teach’ and ‘engineering is a team sport’ (the latter was said in a recent webinar at NMITE by Paul Stein, the chief of technology at Rolls-Royce) and you will go far.”  

Each of the students has been supported with a bursary donated by individuals, companies, and even NMITE staff.

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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

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