The Department of Engineering and Design is proud of its long-standing collaborations with leaders in the engineering and design industry and new relationships with international institutions. Together we collaborate on topics that explore our areas of expertise and develop solutions to problems of importance to industry, which can lead to significant breakthroughs in research and innovation.

As an undergraduate student you will gain valuable insight, meet potential employers and work on the same design briefs as professionals.

Research

We are undergoing collaborative research with global and UK companies including GE Aviation, Plessey Semiconductors, Jaguar Land Rover, Riccardo, Huawei , Samsung as well as local SMES . These partnerships have demonstrated the quality of our research and have enabled us to develop collaborative research programmes with funding from such places as industrial partners and the EU.

The significance of these achievements demonstrates the excellence of our research and taught courses. Furthermore, we are keen to develop our joint research activity whereby industrial partners sponsor research students who are working toward a DPhil, giving our partners access to our expertise and facilities.

If you are interested in working with the Department in an area of research, please contact collaborate@sussex.ac.uk

Partnership opportunities 

Many of the organisations with whom we are linked offer sponsored prizes, projects, and research to our students over the course of their studies. Industrial sponsorship of student projects, for both undergraduate and MSc students, gives invaluable insight into industrial requirements and approaches to complex problem solving and gives industry an opportunity for a student to work on a project that could bring them benefits.    

This also gives industry an opportunity to work with students over an extended period so that they have a good appreciation of the students' abilities and how they would fit in.

A typical example is the annual Formula Student project. Sponsored by Mobil 1, the project gives students an opportunity to design, build, and race a single-seat racing car.

If you are interested in funding student projects, please contact our Head of Department.

Opportunities for collaboration and partnership with the Department  include (but are not limited to):  

• Bespoke industry-funded and industry-led research and innovation at the University 
• Development of joint bids to UK, EC and international funding competitions  
• Full and partial support of MSc, PhDs  and postdocs carrying out industry and business-led research  
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
• In-kind support for and sponsorship of research (equipment, staff time etc)
• Technical and techno-economic consultancy  

Industrial Advisory Board 

The Department's Industrial Advisory Board provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, advice, and the setting of priorities for the Department’s industrial strategy and curriculum development. It has members from key industrial sectors that are relevant to research and teaching. 

We work in partnership with industry and commerce to develop our degrees, producing graduates who are prepared to work in industry and are highly sought-after by employers. 

Placements 

Our Engineering and Design courses all have an optional placement year assessed as an integral part of the course and all students are encouraged to take a placement.

We are always keen to make more links with employers. The University's Careers and Employability Centre has more information available to employers.