Institution responds to new Hereford university which aims to attract women into engineering

The planned New Model in Technology and Engineering university in Hereford represents "a very positive step forward for UK engineering and education."

Dr Colin Brown, Director of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said in response to today’s announcement of a new university in Hereford which aims to attract women into engineering:

“The planned New Model in Technology and Engineering university in Hereford represents a very positive step forward for UK engineering and education.

“To have a university which specialises in engineering - and where half of the students and teaching are women - is a genuinely innovative approach for this country. It’s an indictment that currently only 6% of the UK’s engineering workforce is female.

“Given that we we’re already struggling with a dramatic shortfall of engineers in this country, it has never been more important to encourage women into the profession. Research we have undertaken at the Institution shows that young women tend to have a much greater affinity to engineering than we might believe.  By connecting with their interests which predominate in design, medicine, sports and the environment, we will inspire ever more to pursue engineering studies.

“This type of STEM-based university represents an excellent way of inspiring the next generation of engineers and we hope it sets a quality benchmark for other institutions in the future.”