High value manufacturing is critical for the UK’s growth as the sector employs around 3 million people and constitutes 10% of value added in the UK, equalling £360 billion. However, moving to high value manufacturing requires a specially trained labour force to deal with emerging challenges and to sustain innovative practices.

A new project aims to foster a high level educational and research partnership to develop global employable graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset and creativity. The Education Partnership for Promoting High Value Manufacturing Supply Chain Systems (EPPHVMSCS) includes the design of a new collaborative curriculum and partnership framework for improving processes systems in high value manufacturing supply chain and the implementation of new modules and courses/ programmes in these universities. The project offers graduates in the UK, China and Singapore the opportunity to compete globally for emerging jobs in high value manufacturing supply chain systems and digitalisation across the supply chain.

Methodology

The new collaborative curriculum and partnership framework (CCPF) will be developed based on the repository of best practices existing at module and programme (course) level in the UK, China and Singapore Universities.

• In the short term (0-1 year), this will include documenting the type of engagement with practitioners and other stakeholders, and implementing company based projects and internships to develop risk taking and decision making abilities suitable for high value manufacturing supply chain systems.

• In the medium term (1-3 years), the project will set up course/program level accreditation standards to create an enabling environment for transnational education collaborations and student exchange.

• In the long term (3-5 years), the project will create opportunities for faculty members to engage with stakeholders in the policy based research carried out by the partner universities.

After the project ends, efforts will be made to offer high value manufacturing supply chain system courses online to reach an even broader audience.

Impact & Outreach

The formation of this partnership in high value manufacturing supply chains will lead to the upskilling of upcoming and existing talents and a significant increase in the international skills and experience of students, academics and early career researchers.

Modules and courses in manufacturing processes/high value manufacturing supply chain systems will be developed and delivered jointly by the six partner universities in collaboration with local industrial partners, alongside internship oriented degree programmes, student and staff exchange programmes and summer school programmes. These programmes will enhance graduate employability, nurture entrepreneurship and creativity and contribute to the internationalisation of higher education.

The project will support 80 student and 30 staff exchanges, six summer schools, five annual workshops, six high quality research papers and two big research bids.

Further Information

The Sussex leads on this project are Professors Nachiappan Subramanian and Constantin Blome. The EPPHVMSCS is a partnership of six organisations:

• University of Sussex, UK
• University of Brighton, UK
• Jinan University, China
• Hefei University of Technology, China
• Zhejiang University Ningbo Institute of Technology, China
• National University of Singapore, Singapore

The project will run for 5 years, with funding from the British Council and the Chinese Ministry of Education.