Tuesday 9 November

Academics from Bournemouth University are participating in a Knowledge Transfer enterprise with one of the largest civil aircraft companies in the world.

They are transferring their skills and knowledge in engineering design, gained through many years of research and development experience, to staff at Airbus UK, one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, and its parent company EADS.

Professor Siamak Noroozi, Dr Philip Sewell, Professor John Vinney and their colleagues from the University’s Design Simulation Research Centre have developed a new short course programme in “Mechanics of Materials and Aerospace Structure Design”, for design and engineering staff from Airbus. The course is aimed at any Airbus staff with a relevant background but more specifically for those based at the Filton, Bristol site where almost all of the design and analysis of Airbus wings takes place. Some of the delegates travel from as far as Toulouse to attend the course showing its international appeal. Talks are also underway to investigate the feasibility of developing the programme into a distance learning course to be delivered in Germany, France and Spain.

The Master’s level course is delivered over 10 days by the BU team of research–active academics. Participants are assessed at the end of the unit and have the opportunity to earn University credits after completing the programme. These credits can be used towards Master’s programmes at most UK universities including Bournemouth.

“We’re very pleased to be working with Airbus and provide their staff with the opportunity to update and upgrade their knowledge through this specialist short programme, and become able to move between various department as part of their CPD [Continued Professional Development] ambitions.” said Professor Noroozi, Director of the Design Simulation Research Centre based in the University’s School of Design, Engineering & Computing.

Although many of the Airbus students are educated to University level, this short course programme is an opportunity for them to refresh and increase their knowledge of current developments in structural design. Such powerful transferable skills, says Professor Noroozi, will enable Airbus staff to move around the company and change roles and responsibilities with relative ease.

One Airbus participant, a Stress Engineer with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, is looking forward to exploring more about applying the theory behind aerospace structures which his degree may not have covered in depth.

Another, with a degree in Structural Design, is keen to expand and update his knowledge of fatigue and thermal vibrations related to aircraft wing design. “We face many new challenges, particularly in my area where traditional testing and development assumes that the wing will be made of metal,” he said. “I’m looking forward to expanding my capabilities and staying up–to–date through this course.”

“Our expertise, as academics engaged in professional practice and research, will provide participants on the Airbus programme with further insight into engineering analysis, advanced engineering design and simulation,” Professor Noroozi concluded.