Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor Grant

We are pleased to announce that Professor Anne Nortcliffe, Dean of Faculty, has successfully secured a grant under the Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor scheme. 

Graduate Employability and Industry Partnerships
The grant enables universities to engage visiting professors with strong industry backgrounds in the enhancement of teaching and learning on engineering degree courses, with the aim of supporting engineering students in graduate employability and bolstering industry partnerships. 

The three-year Wrexham University project is titled Growing Welsh optical engineering skills and community and it will commence in September 2025 with Dr James Monks joining as Visiting Professor. 

Bridging the Gap
North Wales is home to a number of optical engineering businesses, alongside the growing quantum computing sector. To help bridge the gap that has emerged in the region for skilled optical engineers, the Visiting Professor project will introduce a short course in optical engineering. Open to Wrexham University students (full time and part time) as well as local precision optical engineering industry employees, the course will cover theoretical principles in conjunction with practical application of the learning. The development of the short course will start with an assessment of industrial needs and demands in the photonics, optical mechanics, and optical design spaces, to ensure that the course equips learners with the right skills.

Opportunity
The Growing Welsh optical engineering skills and community project has great opportunity to address the demand for skilled optical engineers in the region, strengthen industry partnerships, feed into the Welsh economy and enhance graduate employability. Congratulations and we look forward to seeing the programme roll out.