Specialist facilities
Professional-standard facilities support our teaching, research and consultancy activities.
- Students on our architecture and interiors courses work together in lively shared studios, making, modelling and drawing. They have access to modelling and construction workshops, IT facilities and specialist software.
- Engineering and product design students have access to a design studio and specialist facilities including 3D print workspaces, metal and welding workshops, finish room, wood, wind tunnel and a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) workshop. Our product design students work in their own studio workspace in the Creativity Centre.
- Engineering and computing students have access to our Simulation Suite with flight and car simulators with VR and motion platform technology.
- Computing students have access to our usability lab with eye-tracking technology, digitisation/VR lab , HTC Vive and games studios.
- Construction and civil engineering students benefit from access to: specialist laboratories for structural dynamics, geotechnics, thermal dynamics and avionics including: centrifuge, concrete lab, hydraulics lab with flume and computer-controlled wave generation.
Technicians are on hand to all students to offer expert guidance and support and training with machinery and software.
Industry links
Through the university's Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme, we have worked on many strategic projects with organisations of all sizes. We have collaborated on a range of engineering, computing and data solutions, environment and energy, and business and product design projects.
Our close links with RIBA South East include the opportunity for our architecture students to sign up with the practice mentoring scheme – which includes a series of meet ups and site visits.
Our Industrial Advisory Boards contribute to the ongoing development of our construction, civil engineering, engineering, computing and maths courses, advising on content and helping ensure our students develop the skills, knowledge and experience that is most valued by employers.
We have close links with SAS which provide our maths students with networking opportunities, and the chance to prepare for a professional certificate in SAS and graduate with an additional qualification as well as a degree.
Placements
Many of our degrees in the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering offer the opportunity of a placement year. These increase the employability of our students, helping to develop practical experience, build confidence and provide valuable networking contacts.
Graduate degree shows
Each year our graduating architecture and product design students showcase their final projects in a major public exhibition celebrating their innovation, creativity and hard work.
The exhibition launch is a key date in our calendar and is where we hand out our summer show prize awards in a range of categories, many sponsored by architecture and design practices.
Our computing and engineering undergraduate students have the opportunity to present their projects to industry professionals at a final year exhibition.