The Rt Hon. the Lord Willetts, Chair of the UK Space Agency Board and former Minister of State for Universities and Science, opened a new regional centre for engineering excellence at the University of Southampton Science Park, on Thursday 28 September 2023.
The Engineering Centre is the latest addition to Southampton Science Park’s leading portfolio of accommodation for science and technology businesses. This new facility provides specialist laboratories, workshops, office spaces and collaboration zones, designed to support a range of industrial sectors including eco-hydraulics, electronics, transport research, aerospace, energy, unmanned systems and a number of hydraulic flumes. The Centre is also home to the Future Towns Innovation Hub, a joint industry-academic venture led by our University in partnership with the Enterprise M3 LEP and Research England.
Lord Willetts said: “It is a great pleasure to be here today, my first public engagement since being made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering earlier this month. This prestigious new facility which shines a light on the engineering talent that we have here on the south coast and provides a platform from which the sector can build and flourish. Judging by the people and companies that I’ve met here today, there’s no doubt that Southampton Science Park’s growing reputation, exemplified by projects like these, is making a meaningful contribution to the sustainable growth and prosperity of our region. I am delighted to be declaring it officially open.”
Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark E. Smith, added: “The Engineering Centre, housing the Future Towns Innovation Hub, is a very important investment from the University and our partners. This unique facility, which encourages smart collaboration between academia and business, will play an important role in boosting opportunities to commercialise new research, grow skills and retain talent in the Southampton area.”