The MIRA Technology Institute (MTI) has opened its doors at MIRA Technology Park (MTP) in Nuneaton, UK.
The institute was created to satisfy increasing demand for specialist skills in the automotive sector, with a focus on growth in new and disruptive technologies. It is a unique partnership between North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, Horiba MIRA, Coventry University, Loughborough University and the University of Leicester.
As connected and autonomous vehicles become more prevalent, so too will the need to develop specialist skills in these disciplines. The courses offered by MTI will provide training to a new generation of engineers, as well as upskilling experienced engineers in areas such as electrification, driverless car technologies, cybersecurity and drivetrain efficiency.
Informed by the needs of industry, the institute is also notable for its ability to develop and deliver bespoke courses. This collaboration between education and industry will benefit the development of talent at all levels, from apprentices right through to qualified engineers, extending up to PhD level.
Terry Spall, commercial director at MIRA Technology Park, said, “The opening of MIRA Technology Institute is vital to the continued renaissance of the UK automotive sector, as we see the global sector evolve at incredible pace in areas such as electrification and connected and autonomous vehicle technology.”
“The UK and the midlands continues to draw global interest from the automotive industry. MIRA Technology Park is an automotive technology cluster accommodating R&D teams from many global automotive companies that have chosen to physically locate themselves in the heart of the UK automotive industry and leverage the benefit of the Horiba MIRA facilities and expertise.
“The opening of MTI augments this by providing a skills ‘machine’ to help solve the critical issue of availability of specialist skills, an issue faced by many companies operating in areas of emerging automotive technologies.”
Situated in a 24,500ft2 (2,280m2) building, the institute is a globally focused enterprise. It is fully aligned with the UK government’s Industrial Strategy, launched by the prime minister only a year ago. It has been funded by Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) with a £9.5m (US$12m) investment from the Local Growth Fund that was awarded to North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College as the lead partner.