I am really proud that, for a number of years, we have been able to give students in Part 2 of our Mechanical Engineering degree programmes what can only be described as a unique educational experience. Through a high-level contact within a renowned motor manufacturing company, we have arranged for students on our Mechanical Design module the opportunity to investigate in minute detail the design and manufacture of an iconic luxury sports car donated by its manufacturer — apologies for being cryptic: the sponsoring company prefers not to publicise this project, presumably to avoid being flooded with requests for sponsorship from other institutions.
Over a period of two weeks in June, working in small teams in our Design Centre, the students strip a complete car down into component parts. Then, they dissect each part, studying its form and function, trying to discover the intention of the designer, critically analysing how that intention has been translated into practice, inspecting the material micro structure of the component, examining it for any signs of wear or corrosion — the car is a used model with typically some 300,000–500,000 km on the clock — questioning the component’s fitness for purpose and, where possible, suggesting ways to improve it.
Each team focuses on a sub-system — for example, the gearbox or the power steering unit — whilst still being aware of its relationship with the other sub-systems making up the car. At the end of the two weeks, the teams present their findings to a panel of judges which includes representatives from the sponsors. The prize for the winning team is a visit to the headquarters of the company where they are invited to spend time with engineers going through the design office and the factory. To crown the visit, the sponsors take the students to the test track where they are allowed to experience rides at great speeds in some of the latest car models.
Whether or not the students are part of the winning team, it is fair to state that they all thoroughly enjoy this experience which uniquely combines fun, hands-on activities and serious engineering thinking. In general, what they find most interesting and useful about the exercise is that it enables them to find out what really makes this particular brand superior to others. Empirically, as well as through research and the application of imagination and logical deduction skills, they discover for themselves the design philosophy that gives class to the brand. They discover what engineers from the sponsoring company call ‘the soul’ of the car.
Thus, cars can have a soul — something embodied in them which may be invisible but which clearly differentiates them from other cars. Similarly, most if not all objects engineered and made by people have souls, and I would even argue that something as intangible as an engineering degree programme also possesses a soul. This would be its philosophy and core values which are abstract concepts defining it and making it stand out from other programmes.
As I write this article, we are fast approaching the point when A-level students finally have to decide which university programmes to enrol on. Assuming they are already set to pursue a career in mechanical engineering and must now choose between offerings from different institutions, I shall make their decision easier by revealing the soul of our Mechanical Engineering degree programmes. It is primarily our focus on mechanical engineering science which is enduring and which will stand our students in good stead throughout their careers.
Engineering science fundamentals — such as the principles of mechanics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, materials and manufacturing science — form the robust tool set we equip our students with in order to enable them to handle virtually any problems encountered in mechanical engineering in the future. To this tool set, we also add up-to-date information via our research-led teaching. Our enquiry-based approach, typified by the car strip-down exercise, encourages independent learning so that students can continue to update their knowledge by themselves after leaving university.
This philosophy — the soul of our programmes — manifests itself in the quality of our offerings. It has helped us to attract top students in mechanical engineering and to give them the best possible education. Therefore, it is not surprising that our graduates, like the prestigious sports car our students work on, are highly valued products. Over 92% of our students obtain graduate jobs within six months of graduation. Indeed, many of the students hold multiple job offers even before graduating.
It is also not surprising that companies like our luxury sports car manufacturer are keen to sponsor us. In addition to exposure to our students for recruitment purposes, they must believe that, one day, some of the students are bound to become their clients.
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/mechanical-engineering/index.aspx