Industrial Advisory Board

The role of the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) is to facilitate the exchange of ideas between the board members, academic staff and students in the Department of Engineering Design and Mathematics (EDM).

Advisory Board – Purpose Statement

IABs role is advisory, rather than decision making, the aim is to be a forum for strategic discussion and to assist with industry related operational aspects of the Departmental undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research programmes.

There are four discipline specific subgroups within the IAB:

  • Aerospace
  • Mechanical/Automotive
  • Electronics/Robotics
  • Mathematics

Terms of reference

Members from industry and senior members of Academic staff, appointed to the Board by the Head of Department, constitute the Board. The terms of reference are:

  1. To ensure the Department receives appropriate and expert advice on the relevance of its teaching programmes.
  2. To advise on the areas of science relevant to longer-term industrial development in EDMand identify overlapping areas of interest.
  3. To ensure the Departments research portfolio is relevant to industry and help to identify opportunities for commercialisation of research.
  4. To assist the Department in securing industrial projects to integrate within the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
  5. To advise the Department on the professional skills required by industry to ensure the graduates produced meet employer needs.
  6. To sponsor Undergraduate and Postgraduate prizes and to select the winner of the Industrial Advisory Board Project Prize.
  7. To act as a sounding board for new ideas and developments in the Department.

Benefits to EDM

  • The quality of EDMs existing degree programmes is maintained and the curriculum continuously enhanced.
  • EDMis advised on which research activities might be undertaken to meet current industrial needs.
  • The employability of the Departments graduates is enhanced.

Benefits to Industrial Partners

  • A raised awareness of the industrial partner's activities amongst staff and students.
  • Ability to influence graduate outcomes, ensuring STEMgraduates are equipped with the essential skills required by future employers.
  • Networking with other companies in the IAB
  • Access to a large student population to undertake a wide range of projects.
  • Access to the extensive equipment and facilities that are available in the Department.