Southampton partnership to secure future maritime success
The University of Southampton will be leading research into 'ships of the future', thanks to a new partnership with BAE Systems Surface Ships.
Projects are expected to focus on improving and enhancing the design and construction of ships, including the next generation of warships. Southampton researchers and engineering students will be involved in ensuring that ships are safer, more economical and more sustainable.
The tie-up, announced today (26 July), will involve reciprocal secondments between the company and university staff, industrial placements for Masters' students and long-term collaborative research.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding strengthens existing links between BAE Systems Surface Ships and the University of Southampton. It is the second of four university partnerships to be announced by BAE Systems in the maritime engineering sector.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Don Nutbeam says: "This formal partnership marks the culmination of an existing relationship between the University and BAE Systems, which combines excellence in education, research and business.
"We are delighted to have the opportunity to develop our long-established links in exciting new ways, enhancing Southampton's reputation in world-leading engineering and creating an environment for co-operative research and education in the long-term."
Alan Johnston, Managing Director of BAE Systems Surface Ships, comments: "By forming mutually beneficial university partnerships, we can closely align the needs of both academia and industry and work together to safeguard the vital role of engineering and manufacturing within the UK economy.
"The collaboration will raise the profile of engineering and assist in securing a continuous flow of fresh engineering talent, helping to tackle potential skills shortages and ensure that our business has the right skills set for the future which play an essential role in our continued drive for innovation and engineering excellence."
Notes for editors
The collaboration with the University of Southampton is the second of four planned university partnerships to be established by BAE Systems in the field of maritime engineering and is part of the company's scheme to invest in the skills needed to remain competitive over the next decade and beyond. The initiative was formally launched at Heriot-Watt University in June with a further two university partners to be named over the next 12 months.
BAE Systems is a global defence, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).
BAE Systems is one of the biggest UK supporters of education and skills, investing £50 million per annum to support its commitment to life-long learning. The company has links with approximately 100 universities globally through its university partnerships programme, with over 30 of these with UK institutions.