£35m Engineering Innovation Centre to boost regional industry

31 October 2019

A new state-of-the-art teaching and research facility which engages directly with industry and provides students with real-world experience has officially opened at the University of Central Lancashire.

The Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC) is the largest single investment in Lancashire’s education infrastructure to date, giving students the opportunity to work on live engineering projects.

Facilities at the centre include an additive manufacturing lab for 3D printing; advanced manufacturing workshop; intelligent systems facility; motorsports and air vehicles lab; high-performance computing lab; flight simulator suite; and a fire, oil and gas facility.

UCLan hopes the EIC will be a driving force behind Lancashire’s Local Industrial Strategy and support the innovation needs of 1,300 regional SMEs.

David Taylor, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the University Board, said:

“The EIC is not only a significant asset to the University but also the county, wider region and the UK. It will act as one of the driving forces behind the industrial strategy both on a regional and national scale while cementing Lancashire’s position as a national centre of excellence for aerospace, advanced engineering and manufacturing.”

Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth, Rt Hon Jake Berry MP, added:

“[The] Engineering Innovation Centre will play an important role in cementing the North’s long-standing reputation for world-class further education, scientific innovation and engineering excellence.

“The advances made and skills learned at this pioneering facility will have far-reaching benefits from equipping young people for well paid, highly skilled jobs to technological advances supporting manufacturing businesses throughout the North and around the world.”

Image credit: UCLan/Flickr