Industrial Doctorate Centre: Skills Technology, Research, and Management (STREAM) for the UK Water Sector

工业博士中心：英国水务部门的技能技术、研究和管理 (STREAM)

• 批准号: EP/G037094/1
• 负责人: Simon Parsons
• 金额: $ 818.5万
• 依托单位: CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Training Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2009 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FG037094%2F1
• 关键词: Industrial; Doctorate; Centre; Skills; Technology

The UK water sector is entering a period of profound change with both public and private sector actors seeking evidence-based responses to a host of emerging global, regional and national challenges which are driven by demographic, climatic, and land use changes as well as regulatory pressures for more efficient delivery of services. Although the UK Water Industry is keen to embrace the challenge and well placed to innovate, it lacks the financial resources to support longer term skills and knowledge generation. A new cadre of engineers is required for the water industry to not only make our society more sustainable and profitable but to develop a new suite of goods and services for a rapidly urbanising world.The EPSRC Industrial Doctorate Centre programme is an ideal mechanism with which to remediate the emerging shortfall in advanced engineering skills within the sector. In particular, the training of next-generation engineering leaders for the sector requires a subtle balance between industrial and academic contributions; calling for a funding mechanism which privileges industrial need but provides for significant academic inputs to training and research. The STREAM initiative draws together (for the first time) five of the UK's leading water research and training groups to secure the future supply of advanced engineering professionals in this area of vital importance to the UK. Led by the Centre for Water Science at Cranfield University, the consortium also draws on expertise from the Universities of Sheffield and Bradford, Imperial College London, Newcastle University, and the University of Exeter. STREAM offers Engineering Doctorate awards through a programme which incorporates; (i) acquisition of advanced technical skills through attendance at masters level training courses, (ii) tuition in the competencies and abilities expected of senior engineers, and (iii) doctoral level research projects. Students spend at least 75% of their time working in industry or on industry specified research problems. Example research topics to be addressed by the scheme's Research Engineers include; delivering drinking water quality and protecting public health; reducing carbon footprint; reducing water demand; improving service resilience and reliability; protecting natural water bodies; reducing sewer flooding, developing and implementing strategies for Integrated Water Management, and delivering new approaches to characterising, communicating and mitigating risk and uncertainty. Ten studentships per year for five years will be offered with each position being sponsored by an industrial partner from the water sector.A series of common attendance events will underpin programme and group identity. These include, (i) an initial three-month programme based at Cranfield University, (ii) an open invitation STREAM symposium and (iii) a Challenge Week to take place each summer including transferrable skills training and guest lectures from leading industrialists and scientists. Outreach activities will extend participation in the programme, pursue collaboration with associated initiatives, promote 'brand awareness' of the EngD qualification, and engage with a wide range of stakeholder groups (including the public) to promote engagement with and understanding of STREAM activities.Strategic direction for the programme will be formulated through an Industry Advisory Board comprising representatives from professional bodies, employers, and regulators. This body will provide strategic guidance informed by sector needs, review the operational aspects of the taught and research components as a quality control, and conduct foresight studies of relevant research areas. A small International Steering Committee will ensure global relevance for the programme. The total cost of the STREAM programme is 10.2m, 4.4m of which is being invested by industry and 5.8m of which is being requested from EPSRC.

英国水务部门正在进入一个深刻变革的时期，公共和私营部门的参与者都在寻求以证据为基础的应对措施，以应对人口、气候和土地利用变化以及监管压力推动的一系列全球、区域和国家挑战，以更有效地提供服务。尽管英国水务行业热衷于迎接挑战，并处于创新的有利地位，但它缺乏支持长期技能和知识生成的财政资源。为了使我们的社会更加可持续发展和盈利，同时也为了为快速城市化的世界开发一套新的商品和服务，水务行业需要一支新的工程师队伍。EPSRC工业博士学位中心计划是一个理想的机制，可以弥补该行业内先进工程技能的短缺。特别是，为该行业培养下一代工程领导者需要在工业和学术贡献之间保持微妙的平衡;呼吁建立一种资助机制，优先考虑工业需求，但为培训和研究提供重要的学术投入。STREAM计划（首次）汇集了英国五个领先的水研究和培训团体，以确保未来在这一对英国至关重要的领域提供先进的工程专业人员。由克兰菲尔德大学水科学中心领导的该联盟还借鉴了谢菲尔德和布拉德福德大学、帝国理工学院伦敦、纽卡斯尔大学和埃克塞特大学的专业知识。STREAM通过一个方案提供工程博士学位，该方案包括：（一）通过参加硕士级培训课程获得先进的技术技能，（二）高级工程师预期的能力和能力学费，以及（三）博士级研究项目。学生花费至少75%的时间在工业或行业指定的研究问题上工作。该计划的研究工程师要解决的示例研究课题包括：提供饮用水质量和保护公共健康;减少碳足迹;减少水需求;提高服务弹性和可靠性;保护自然水体;减少下水道洪水，制定和实施综合水管理战略，并提供新的方法来表征，沟通和减轻风险和不确定性。每年将提供十个学生奖学金，为期五年，每个职位由水务部门的工业合作伙伴赞助。一系列共同出席的活动将巩固课程和团体身份。这些措施包括，（一）在克兰菲尔德大学的初步为期三个月的计划，（二）公开邀请流研讨会和（三）挑战周，每年夏天举行，包括可转移的技能培训和来自领先的工业家和科学家的客座讲座。外展活动将扩大参与该计划，寻求与相关举措的合作，促进工程师资格的“品牌意识”，并与广泛的利益相关者团体接触（包括公众人士），以促进他们参与和了解“溪流”计划的各项活动。计划的策略方向，将由一个由专业团体、雇主、和监管机构。该机构将根据部门需求提供战略指导，审查教学和研究部分的业务方面，作为质量控制，并对相关研究领域进行前瞻性研究。一个小型国际指导委员会将确保该方案的全球相关性。STREAM方案的总成本为1020万美元，其中440万美元由工业投资，580万美元由EPSRC申请。